Evil Has a Name - Paul Holes, Jim Clemente and Peter McDonnell

Evil Has a Name – The Untold Story of the Golden State Killer Investigation – Paul Holes, Jim Clemente, Peter McDonnell (2018)

The Golden State Killer. The East Area Rapist. The Original Night Stalker. The Visalia Ransacker.

The monster who preyed on Californians from 1976 to 1986 was known by many aliases. And while numerous police sketches tried to capture his often-masked visage, the Golden State Killer spent more than 40 years not only faceless, but nameless.

For his victims, for their families and for the investigators tasked with finding him, the senselessness and brutality of the Golden State Killer’s acts were matched only by the powerlessness they felt at failing to uncover his identity. To be sure, the chances of obtaining closure—or any form of justice—after so many years were slim to none, at best.

Then, on April 24, 2018, authorities arrested 72-year-old Joseph James DeAngelo at his home in Citrus Heights, Calif., based on DNA evidence linked to the crimes. After a decades-long hunt, a suspect was behind bars. Could it be that evil finally had a name?

Delivering all-new details about the investigation and a stunning final act to the events of Michelle McNamara’s haunting bestseller, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, this is the true story of how the suspected Golden State Killer was captured, as told, first-hand, by those closest to the case:

Paul Holes—the forensic criminologist and retired Costa County detective who spent 20 years trying to crack the Golden State Killer case, and finally did.

Jim Clemente (Host)—a retired FBI profiler and former New York City prosecutor who has investigated some of the highest profile criminal cases in U.S. history, including the Unabomber.

Please note: This work contains descriptions of violent crime and sexual assault and may not be suitable for all listeners.

My Review of Evil Has a Name

I have had this on my audible wish list since I saw it was being released months and months ago. I became a little bit obsessed with the case after listening to “Ill Be Gone in the Dark” last year. Quickly after listening to that I went a bit nuts, reading all the articles, listening to all the podcasts on it and informing all my friends and family of the case and the fact that the guy had NEVER BEEN CAUGHT!! Stuff of nightmares!

So imagine my surprise when two weeks after I listened to that book, I saw on the Australian news that they had just caught the killer! I was so excited!

So I was not expecting to learn anything that I didn’t know from this special audible original. I had spent a LOT of hours learning about this case, I was almost reluctant to listen to it, but decided to give it a go. So glad I did. Yes, there was a lot of information that I knew already, but WOW it really helped me understand SO MUCH MORE about HOW they actually caught him. There was a lot on the DNA technology which was easy to understand and comprehend.

There was also some amazing interviews with survivors and relatives, as well as neighbours and friends of the accused killer. It really gave you a snippet as to what he was like and I was surprised as to how much extra little bits of information it gave you.

I don’t know how the US legal system works compared to the Aussie one, but I would have thought that they wouldn’t have allowed something like this to come out before the trial. Just seemed strange to me, maybe someone could enlighten me as to how this could be allowed? Not that I am complaining. It totally sparked my re-interest in the details of this case.

Did I enjoy the narration?

Absolutely! It was partly narrated by the lead investigator in the case and to hear the first hand experiences that he had and how things led to that final arrest was amazing.

Would I recommend Evil Has a Name?

Yes! I thought it was great. It had a good tone and was fantastic for anyone who loves true crime and a good story!

(5 / 5)

*I purchased Evil Has a Name at my own expense at audible.com

If you are interested in getting more information on the Golden State Killer or EARONS, and don’t want to buy the audible original, I highly recommend the Casefile Podcast. It is in 5 parts and contains the most comprehensive information I have found on this case in a highly entertaining format. And its free. You can’t beat that. Check it out HERE.