A DNA match has led to the arrest of a 72-year-old former police officer in one of the most baffling and sadistic crime sprees of the 1970s and 80s - a string of at least 12 slayings and 45 rapes in California by an attacker dubbed the Golden State Killer.

Armed with a gun, the masked attacker would break into homes while single women or couples were sleeping. He sometimes tied up the man and piled dishes on his back, then raped the woman while threatening to kill them both if the dishes tumbled.

He often took souvenirs from his victims, who ranged in age from 13 to 41.

Despite an outpouring of thousands of tips over the years, the suspect's name had not even been on authorities' radar before last week.

Married couple Brian and Katie Maggiore were shot dead while walking their dog in Rancho Cordova, California on February 2, 1978. Joseph James DeAngelo was charged with their murders on Wednesday

DeAngelo is also charged with murdering Lyman and Charlene Smith at their Ventura County home on March 13, 1980

Joseph James DeAngelo was arrested on Tuesday and charged with four murders. Police believe he is linked to the other eight killings as well.

DeAngelo has been charged over the brutal murder of married couple Brian and Katie Maggiore on February 2, 1978. They are believed to have been his first victims.

Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with four murders. Police believe he is linked to the other eight killings as well

The couple were walking their dog in their Rancho Cordova neighborhood, just outside Sacramento, when they were chased down, shot and killed.

He is also charged with murdering Lyman and Charlene Smith at their Ventura County home on March 13, 1980.

They were bludgeoned to death with a fireplace log and were later found by their 12-year-old son. Smith was an attorney who was just days from being appointed a judge. His wife worked as a court clerk.

Police believe DeAngelo is also behind the murder of Dr Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning who were killed on December 30, 1979.

Offerman, 44, and Manning, 35, were killed at a home in Goleta near Santa Barbara. They had their hands bound with twine when their bodies were discovered.

Married couple Patrice and Keith Harrington were killed in their home at Dana Point on August 19, 1980. Police said they were beaten with a blunt instrument.

Police believe DeAngelo is also behind the murder of Dr Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning who were killed on December 30, 1979

Patrice and Keith Harrington were killed in their home at Dana Point on August 19, 1980

Patrice was a pediatric nurse and her husband was a medical student at UC Irvine.

Manuela Witthuhn, 28, was raped and beaten to death in her home in Irvine on February 5, 1981. She was home alone at the time because her husband was in the hospital recovering from an illness.

Cheri Domingo, 35, and her 27-year-old boyfriend Gregory Sanchez were murdered in their beds at a home in Goleta on July 27, 1981.

Domingo was found with her hands tied and suffering massive head injuries. Sanchez was shot and bludgeoned.

The final victim believed to have been killed by DeAngelo was 18-year-old Janelle Lisa Cruz. She was bludgeoned to death in her family's home in Irvine on May 4, 1986.

A real estate agent who was selling the family's home was the first to discover the teen's body. Blood was found spattered throughout the home and police believe she was beaten with a pipe wrench.

Cheri Domingo, 35, and her 27-year-old boyfriend Gregory Sanchez were murdered in their beds at a home in Goleta on July 27, 1981