National & International News

FBI Asks For Tips In Decades-Old Cold Case Of 'Golden State Killer'

By Camila Domonoske

Published June 16, 2016 at 12:32 PM EDT

Three different law enforcement drawings show a suspected serial killer believed to have committed at least 12 murders and 45 rapes across California in the '70s and '80s. Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, FBI Special Agent in Charge Monica Miller and Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert displayed the images at a news conference in Sacramento, Calif., on Wednesday.

The East Area Rapist. The Original Night Stalker. The Diamond Knot Killer. The Golden State Killer.

The serial rapist and murderer had many monikers, but now law enforcement is renewing the quest for another name:

His real one.

Over the course of a decade, beginning in June 1976, the unknown man terrorized several communities in California. He raped at least 45 women, killed at least 12 people and burglarized more than 120 homes. His victims were anywhere from 13 to 41 years old. The FBI describes him as "violent and elusive."

Local law enforcement "never gave up on the investigation," the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department detective assigned to the case said in an FBI statement.

Now authorities are renewing a push to find the man responsible, offering a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to his arrest and conviction.

In the statement, the FBI writes:

"If he is still alive, the killer would now be approximately 60 to 75 years old. He is described as a white male, close to six feet tall, with blond or light brown hair and an athletic build. He may have an interest or training in military or law enforcement techniques, and he was proficient with firearms.

"Detectives have DNA from multiple crime scenes that can positively link — or eliminate — suspects. This will allow investigators to easily rule out innocent parties with a simple, non-invasive DNA test."

Authorities also have a brief, disturbing recording of what they believe is the suspect's voice.

"People who know the subject may not believe him capable of such crimes," the FBI notes. "He may not have exhibited violent tendencies or have a criminal history."

The FBI has put together a map of the areas where the crimes occurred and asks people who lived in those communities at the time to try to remember whether they knew someone who matched the suspect's physical description.

The suspect also tended to collect small items, particularly coins, ID cards and women's jewelry, from his crime scenes. The FBI calls for anyone who finds or knows of an odd assortment of such items to contact the agency.

You can find more information about the case at www.fbi.gov/EastAreaRapist.