Suspect Profile:
http://www.ear-ons.com/investigate7.html
I happen to think this potential is very real. He absolutely knew what his victims were up to, he knew the behind the scenes topography of the region, the pets in the neighborhoods did not alert to his presence, and he road a bike, fast.
Our creeks are not concrete-- I doubt any of them were in the 1970s. They are rustic little swaths of nature that meander from the foothills down to the rivers (there are two). They are situated so that they run behind homes as a natural back property line. Some people did actually put up fences, but most (in those days) left it natural, which equals not secure. Shortcuts were made along those creeks and rivers... "the back way" was commonly traveled by kids who grew up in the neighborhood. As a matter of fact, it was the EAR who put an end to using the creeks as thoroughfares-- you'd get yourself killed after he started his crimes.
If I recall, many of the rapes were committed in dwellings that backed onto dry concrete canals, and speculation was he used those canals as escape routes.
He definitely used the creek and river passages. And a bike (which would also fit a newspaper route-- but, I would guess it might be the morning paper, heck, or maybe both!)
I have been trying to read up on the AEtv board about this case and gather some information since I tend to obsess over this case. I'm really curious to know if there is a concensus about the age of EAR-ONS. When listening to that answering machine recording, it has always struck me that that voice sounds very young. Potentially meaning that EAR-ONS would have been no older than 17-18 when he began his crime spree. And maybe earlier if the Visalia ransacker is the same perp (and I believe he was).
That would mean that EAR-ONS is no older than his early 50's. There is still a very good chance of catching this guy. Which leads me to my next inquiry. It has been speculated by profiler or two that he is either dead or incarcerated for a lesser crime (than murder). Because he would be unable to stop. But I wonder, if he was silent for 6 years or more and then called an old victime in or around 1991 wouldn't that lend credence to the idea that he perhaps just stopped and wanted to do that for old times sake?
I guess my point is, I do not think he's dead or incarcerated. I believe that LE in California has probably scoured the books on similar profiles of inmates and done DNA tests etc all for nothing. Which makes me totally think he's out there, he regressed into suburbia. Which is terrifying. He's someone's neighbor, father.
The way to catch him is to keep the story out there. I have not doubt he still lives out there somewhere in Cali..he's there, just have to find him.
<<<shiver>>> I haven't explored the EAR-ONS site yet, and I'm not sure I want to hear his taunting message. Creeeepy.
I agree with you that the voice sounds like that of a younger man. Maybe this has been discussed already (I haven't looked at this case in a while), but how are the police so sure this caller is the real thing and not some teenage crank caller?
My feeling is that the ONS is a somewhat older and more experienced perp (at least late-20s, 30s, perhaps as old as 40s), because how else could he repeatedly be so successful in incapacitating a couple - a woman and a man? Surely one of the mature male victims in the ONS cases would have said to himself, "This is just a kid with a knife; I can take him out. I sure won't let him tie me up".
What I remember was the stacking of dishes on the men's backs. He'd remove them to the living area of the home, lay them on their stomachs, then stack glass plates and stuff on them and threaten to kill (I thought some homes had kids, but I may be wrong) the wife/other members of the house. No matter what, there was HUGE incentive for the man of the house to concentrate on breathing slowly and carefully.
It was a very successful tactic in that family oriented area.
Did I read that this guy brought a German Shepherd to some of his crimes? Did people there have to register their dogs in the locality they lived in back then? Did investigators pour through those records for everyone who owned one of those dogs in the different cities there?
Walking a dog late at night is the perfect excuse for being on the streets at 3 or 4 in the morning. Brilliant move by this evil man.
Oh man, I don't recall that in particular, but big dogs were the thang to have. Outside dogs got brought in, inside dogs were given the run of the house, little dogs slept with their mommies and daddies. It was terrible.
I have looked for information on this case a number of times throughout the years, and I'm so glad (though not surprised) to find this thread at WS. Also, I'd never heard the name the Original Night Stalker. This man may have a good decade or more that he could be criminally active. I absolutely believe he has honed his criminal craft to near perfection by this time. I'd like to see him caught...
mo