The Visalia Ransacker

The Visalia Ransacker was serial burglar, sexual predator, and budding serial killer who operated in Visalia, California in the mid 1970s. He began by committing sexually motivated offenses with a unique M.O. and continued evolving until he racked up attempted kidnapping, attempted rape, homicide, and attempted homicide charges. After a confrontation with police in December 1975, his unique brand of crime began to vanish from the area.

The Visalia Ransacker went on to become California's notorious East Area Rapist / Golden State Killer.

A break was made in the case with the April 24th, 2018 arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo, Jr. for the Golden State Killer crimes. He was immediately linked to the Visalia Ransacker and subsequently charged with the murder of Claude Snelling. On June 29th, 2020, under the conditions of a plea bargain, DeAngelo admitted guilt to the murder of Claude Snelling, the attempted kidnapping of Beth Snelling, and the attempted murder of William McGowen.

Please note that this website is not affiliated with any Law Enforcement jurisdiction. The goal is to provide data, information, and research tools to aid the public in helping to identify this offender. If you have any information that you believe can help in this case, please contact the authorities.

Basics A primer on the case -- the Ransacker's M.O. and some key events. Incidents This section compiles data on every confirmed, unconfirmed, and tangential Visalia Ransacker crime. Evidence and Analysis This section compiles the facts of the case and provides extra analysis of key points. Timeline and Locations An easy-to-use list of the ransackings and incidents related to the VR case. The Snelling Murder In the early morning hours of September 11th, 1975, the Visalia Ransacker attempted to abduct a teenage girl from her home. When her father intervened, the Ransacker brutally shot him to death. The McGowen Shooting After two years of chasing him down, an officer finally came face-to-face with the Visalia Ransacker. The Ransacker barely escaped capture, and the officer barely escaped with his life. Contact Info Contact information for the relevant law enforcement jurisdictions.

The footpath that runs along the northern border of the Visalia Ransacker's attack area. It's believed that he frequently used this to traverse the city during the night. Evan's Ditch is a geographic feature of the city that runs through a large portion of the attack area. Based on the locations of the homes that the VR struck, it seems likely that he used it to scout for unoccupied homes. This is the exact location where the Visalia Ransacker hid after shooting Officer McGowen. Evidence showed that he stayed here for an unknown period of time before escaping the area and evading capture.