Post by hoth on Mar 27, 2018 16:51:32 GMT
I'm not really buying this whole ski mask thing in mild temperatures. Below freezing in Chicago, you wouldn't make it down the street with one on very long. I'm not sure who would get you first, cops or wonderful residents. If you're shoveling snow or snowboarding at a park in the winter, but not just riding a bike. Even well meaning and honest folks with one on, a ski mask is just bad news. Home Invasions and robberies have become so popular in cities around Chicago, some have placed ordinances for having what they classify under terms like suspicious activity, burglary tools and stalking. Minus when we go snowmobiling, I just don't see folks with them on.
As far as Memphis goes, I lived there in the late 90s. Robberies and home invasions were so bad, that I remember guys in the neighborhood would go to places like Rent-A-Center or other "rent to own" stores, and attempt to get empty boxes of big screen Tv's and stereos and sit them by the curb. In fact, these stores would have these cardboard boxes that were "dummy" stereos, Tv's and VCRs(My god it's been that long) that they'd put in entertainment centers and furniture in the store. My stepdad would go in and try to get these to "display" on the porch. It was rather ridiculous looking down the street and seeing 8 50" projection TV boxes on the curb going down the block. We left the porch Xmas tree up until May to conceal the video camera in the event someone took the bait. Sadly we had a deputy who started this program, but this was a very dangerous area and I can assure you, even if the thugs saw you with a ski mask, they'd shoot you thinking you were trying to creep on them.
These lures never worked. Instead your home was robbed in the morning or afternoon like everyone else.
Regardless, this guy had quite a few ski masks in Sacramento. Some were homemade,but most were different styles. In California you're never too far from mountains and such where these things would be purchased or may have an assortment.
This guy's comfort level is just way too high in these neighborhoods. He was where he felt he fit in, perfectly wearing a ski mask.
Now I've lurked and read the books. Watched majority of these programs. Yes, I'm hooked in this "Golden State Killer" craze. To be honest, I think Kat's book brought this thing down to earth. I feel that "any story" has become confirmed EAR Activity. These guys riding on bikes with ski masks and crawling on the ground appearing next to cars, I just don't think all these are true. Even if partially, these things start to evolve. Now no doubt that anyone with a ski mask in midsummer Cali is up to no good.
I've watched the new HLN series and listen to Crompton, Shelby and Holes. When I go back and read other material and rewatched E-THS and some of their stories have evolved significantly.
One thing I will say and I don't want one of my first posts to seem rude or hurt some people who hang on every word of these officers, but I'll tell you as clean as I can, and I do know this for a fact. Often, inexperienced officers in these middle to upper middle class communities lack experience when dealing with criminals, both professional and serial. Some of the reporting will be skewed. Mistakes will be underreported. When on detail there is overreporting.
The EAR was not the predator and by the looks of his method of entry he was not a pro at B&E. Very pedestrian busting in these houses.
I think Haskell St is the key here and they missed it. I 100% believe with everything I read, the EAR either broke into a vacant home and conducted hours of surveillance and then attacked and went back to this base or did short time renting or stayed with friends or family. I just don't think he hauled bags around, pistols, knives and ligatures. He had an area he staged, very close, took his pants off or whatever and attacked. Maybe even a realtor or contractor working on a vacant home where he "belonged". Now that doesn't mean he was in a house next door, maybe a few blocks?
Now I personally don't know the Sacramento area and as far as the canal system goes, but we're there taggers or street folks that fished and hung around at night? Areas like that in other cities often had druggies, taggers and at the time then skateboarders and guys riding BMXs. Now I'm not sure if these areas had this type of activity. From what I read, I'm not seeing a lot of communication with informants or heavy canvassing and shakedowns at 4am.
Honestly some of the methods and police tactics were horrible. Everything is a red herring and this guy was some amazing criminal mastermind.
I think this guy was really pedestrian and simple. He'd break into a vacant house, house sitting or folks on vacation and then prowl a few blocks. He'd find a one story home, look in every window and account for everyone and find another. I wish the police then photographed every window and door. I'd wonder if he'd make sure he could see in and account for everyone or thing. They'd sleep or be settling down and he'd go back to his base, get his gear and hit them.
I wouldn't doubt him staging in a home with people in it.
Now with Haskell St, he drops his gear off and goes on the prowl. Gets caught and heads to base and the officer and citizen happen to pop up either before he enters to hide or he got his gun and fled.
I don't think he wondered for miles with a ski mask and bag.
What really bothers me outside of poor police work, which they admit and own up to, but I really feel that Shelby and Crompton's intentions at this time are more for personal gain or fame than capturing this guy. These stories that evolve and recent EAR Activity they peddle really makes me wonder about their credibility.
Now Paul Holes is posturing himself to make a career out of this guy and he isn't even hiding it. It's shameful. Shameful.
I lurk a lot and have been into this case for awhile. I dont say much, but the biggest issue in this case is poor police work when it was happening. Then they peddle and perpetuate some of these stories that have taken a life of their own. With a city on edge so some of the reports are probably a bit exaggerated.
I think Kat and Keith did an excellent job. They really grounded this case. The way this case was handled and how this has grown into the legend it has is due to two former detectives having some compelling info every few years.
I think Haskell St just demonstrates how this guy operated along with a few other incidents. I would really have been intrested in if he hit houses with open windows and drapes. I know folks think he spend weeks on end in surveillance mode, but he probably posted up in a vacant house and prowled. Houses with easy visibility where he could see in, just account for everyone, get your gear and hit them.
These hang up calls and pranks, I often think are a bit of a red herring if you ask me. I got prank calls all the time in the 80s and 90s. House with teenagers in it? I wouldn't doubt a few strange boys and random idiots call and hang up. But I think peoples minds tricks them. This horrible thing happens and they had two hang up calls the day before becomes 40. Phones were often a good plot device in films those days. No doubt he called and harassed victims afterwards, but hang up calls were common. Now when the police ask you have had strange encounrers. They then thinking hang up calls.
Serial rapists usually don't target specific women. It's more about the act, not the person. Now I'm also interested in the bindings and the distorted porno fantasy that he reenacts with these victims. Where did he get these ideas? VHS and such wasn't very popular and expensive around that time. Did the area have porn shops or adult stores in the area? Did the police probe and talk to these people after that had multiple serial rapists in the region? Any movies that had scenes with this bind and control method? Home Invasions and robberies, did they occur and were similar bind and control techniques used?
Shoelaces seemed to be his method of binding victims. This was not a one shot attempt to corral, bind and control victims. Where did he get these laces(I know he took laces for extra ones)? If you think about robbing someone and having to bind them, personally I wouldn't even think of shoelaces, I wouldn't trust them. This is something he tried and knew would work. Probably something he could obtain and knew victims had if he needed more.
Serial rapists do follow scripts and are very methodical, but it was learned. I would wonder and look for at the very least, reported rapes before his series started with perhaps someone he knew and practiced on.
I would also be interested in home invasions and/or burglary rings around that time.
He learned that shoelaces could bind folks.
There seems a lot missed opportunities and the focus of the police whoeven now seems to more on this mystical being, which is a combination of over reporting to make it look like you risked life and limb and underreporting when they messed up.
Well, sorry for the long post. Never wrote or talked about this case. Lots of information and honestly Keith and Kat's book grounded this case, more than the detectives.
This guy wasn't roaming these neighborhoods with a ski mask on. It seems that Shelby and Crompton have created this world where after dark in Sacramento predators roamed and ran down cars in the middle of the night and peered into Windows from roofs.
It's what the police did to Sacramento area then and perpetuate this now.
When this maniac is caught or found out, I think we'll all be surprised.
Good board with lots of good info. Sorry for the long post!
Welcome to the frustrations of the EAR/ONS case. You had cowed populations listening to naive police who often dangled the people out as bait. This may be harsh and likely is. But I know people who sleep with weapons in their bed and they’re not even half as likely to get attacked as any woman living in the RC area in the late 70’s.