Probably the one thing about this whole case that caused me the most shame, was being a suspect. I can’t believe it happened and I can’t believe the police thought I could do something so awful. My mom was my alibi that night and she failed to remember I was home. She was in the… More I Was a Suspect In My Dad’s Murder | Part 1
I’m one of those people who doesn’t remember a lot of my childhood. There are good reasons why. While some memories are pure magic – picnics in my gramma front yard in Carmichael, friends who were always by my side, doing well in school and incredible teachers who saw me for who I was –… More Writing a Book About the Murders: I Can’t Do It and Here’s Why
It has been a really tough week. Not so much practically, but emotionally. I realized this morning, in a private moment, that I feel like a rock in a tumbler. My body hasn’t been working right (leg not working right for the third straight month so walking and standing has been challenging), I’m not in… More When Someone Else’s Trauma Triggers Yours
My parents divorced in 1972. It was a bit of a long time coming. My mom was a stay at home mom at that point and my dad had been seeing Charlene for a while (mom discovered credit card receipts – honestly, practically a cliche – she paid the bills, of course he knew she’d… More In Search of Lyman Smith’s Mystery Woman
My new friends in the media warned me about this. They said to be ready for the ups and downs. There would be quiet periods and then the noise would start again as decisions are made and new evidence presented. I’m glad they prepared me. I woke up this morning pretty hot because I’m really… More News of the Day: DNA, Evidence, and Victim’s Assistance
I didn’t know who Michelle McNamara was until I heard Patton talking about her on Conan shortly after she died. I had never heard from her nor read any of her work. That was little more than a year ago. I Googled and discovered her LA Magazine article and then read more about her death… More I’ll Be Gone in the Dark – Telling Other People’s Stories – Barnes and Noble Part 2
“Look for Karen,” Ray texted, “She’s coming up for the book event tonight!” Holy cow, I thought, she’s coming all the way to Citrus Heights to see Patton and crew? I knew Ray (and Karen) from my gig at WebEx, part of Cisco. I know East Area Rapist sleuths are a committed group, but I… More Citrus Heights Barnes and Noble Was Packed with Stories, Interest and Support
I sat in court on Tuesday, listening to arguments for the first time, as they apply to privacy, the search warrant, the search “return” (what they found) and three points of view – that of “the people,” which is the prosecution that doesn’t technically represent the victims but instead represents the state, that of the… More Privacy at Issue in DeAngelo Pretrial Hearing: Discuss
I’m not sure I want to know what happened inside my dad’s house. Larry Pool shared a lot with me and I know they both went through hell. But the way the story goes in my head, my dad was bound and as Charlene was being led away, I know his mind was reeling. After… More Open Letter to the Male Survivors of the East Area Rapist
Yesterday, Memorial Day, it was quiet downtown near the jail. I was looking for a place for a “survivor coffee” after court. I passed a woman who looked homeless. She was bloody and I could see a lot of her battered body. Her clothes were tattered, maybe torn, her left shoe was missing and she… More May 29th In Court with East Area Rapist Victims
Had anyone at a Buckhorn Grill looked our way, they would have seen a group of women, whooping it up, sharing laughter and a meal and singing happy birthday. What a wonderful group of women exhibiting a level of resilience that I believe, belongs to women. No matter what, most women know how to “soldier… More The Power of Women – East Area Rapist Survivors Are Fierce
In Silicon Valley it’s not cool to be old. It should be, but it isn’t. What’s old? 40. 50. For sure 56 is and that’s how old I am. Who knew it would be the arrest of DeAngelo that would out me to my co-workers! I have an 18 year old still living at home… More For 30 Years He Lived Among Us
Exec staff was supposed to start at 11am, but as usual our head sales guy was late. As my CEO walked in, he looked my way and said, with an irreverent level of glee, “Wow, we get to be in the presence of a famous person today!” It was all I could do to keep… More Behind the Scenes – Discussing Golden State Killer with 20/20 on ABC
It was a total fluke. I flipped on the TV and Patton Oswalt was just walking on stage with Conan O’Brien. I never watch late night TV but I could tell Conan was being remarkable. Something was happening. I didn’t know about Michelle MacNamara. I didn’t know she was working on a book or had… More Another Big Week Coming in Sacramento – Patton Oswalt and the Golden State Killer
We were stopped in the left turn lane of an intersection that was five lanes deep. Adrian was super mad and started to get out of the passenger seat – which means he would have stepped out into traffic. I shouted stop! And locked all the doors. For some reason that worked. That moment scared… More Stranger Things – The Upside Down World of Murder – Adrian Gonzales