Former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo Jr.(right) speaks at the Sacramento County courtroom. Photo: ReutersAn ex-policeman turned violent serial murderer known as the "Golden State Killer" pleaded guilty on Monday (local time) to 13 murders and confessed to dozens of rapes and home invasions that terrorised much of California during the 1970s and '80s. Under terms of the unusual plea deal, outlined by prosecutors and Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman at Monday's hearing, DeAngelo faces a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The plea hearing was held in a ballroom at Sacramento State University, rather than a courthouse, to allow for socially distanced seating amid the coronavirus pandemic. Joseph James DeAngelo (72) who authorities said was identified by DNA evidence as the serial predator dubbed the Golden State Killer , appears at his arraignment.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 30, 2020 00:56 UTC