Attempted Kidnapping, Visalia, Sep/Oct '75,Uniformed Officer

[johnnyhands1]

I noticed this startling entry on the 12-26-75 ER/VR/EAR/ONS map which I've never seen before, and I was wondering if this incident has ever been discussed (couldn't find anything via Search.) I don't believe I've ever heard anything about it on the 12-26-75 podcast (boldface mine):

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name

Attempted Kidnapping

description

Sept/Oct, 1975. 13 year old girl was walking alone to a store in downtown Visalia after school. As she walked on a residential street, a car driven by a uniformed officer pulled up next to her and offered her a ride. He stated that it was too hot for her to be walking, but she declined the offer, did not approach the car, and continued walking on the sidewalk. The car drove off quickly in her direction of travel. However, after walking a few blocks, the car had circled back around behind her again. While still seated in his car, the officer ordered her into the car, and threatened to “report” her if she did not comply.

The girl felt that something was wrong, and turned and ran in the opposite direction. She immediately cut through a yard to an alley she used as a short cut. She made her way home going through yards, and staying off the sidewalk. Later that night, her siblings reported a police car parked down the block from their house. Her parents, believing that she was in some kind of trouble for eluding a police officer, contacted VPD - the correct jurisdiction for the events. The uniformed officer and police car were not VPD, and the girl has since made a positive identification of DeAngelo as the man who ordered her into his car.

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Here's a link to the Google Map for it (the yellow-colored Attempted Kidnapping icon will be in the middle, east of the red-colored VR items, and just south of Highway 198, near E. Noble Ave and Rd 128 - just click on it):

www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?ll=36.322960263129204%2C-119.28959476215783&z=16&mid=19lhw65w3EnyB2ZZJIqH-M5EviNgdkgkX


Or, in the 12-26-75.com site, use the "Full ER/VR/EAR/ONS Map" in the Interactive Maps menu (possibly buried in the MORE menu), expand the left-hand list (click "...365 More") and scroll to the bottom of the list, "Attempted Kidnapping", the very last item at this writing.

The fact that there is no exact date, just a two-month range for the incident, makes me think the 12-26-75 people have only heard about it from the victim (and perhaps her siblings/parents) and there is no VPD police report available (but it's hard to think the VPD would just dismiss it without investigating if it really happened - and I wonder if anyone in LE post-arrest has made an effort to investigate this given the Deangelo identification - along with other family witnesses who, at least, heard the contemporaneous claim by the victim or saw the police car parked down the street.)

[johnnyhands1]

From the snippet of the story above, we don't know if VPD ever investigated the incident.  Assuming this story is for real, a reason I can think of why VPD didn't investigate could be this: the full story was never conveyed to them.

Perhaps the 13-year-old girl was too embarrassed to tell her parent the whole story (same as the 14-year-old Woodlake girl in the Oscar Clifton case.)  Or maybe the parents were mostly concerned about their daughter being in trouble with the police, and were relieved she wasn't - and not interested in opening a huge can of worms by reporting this kind of police officer misconduct.

If VPD did get the whole story, it's hard to believe they just reacted with, "Nope, not us - must be some other agency <click>."

I'd like to hear what the siblings (and parents, if still with us) remember about the incident.  Did the siblings who saw the patrol car on the street notice that it had a different markings/colors  than a VPD patrol car?  Were TSCO patrol cars a common site within city limits to further confuse the issue, meaning the populace was used to more than one look of patrol car, and less likely to notice that it looked different from a VPD patrol car?

I wonder if the 12-26-75 is planning a "Gary Bardone" type interview (Ep. 30,"South Belmont Road") with the victim and possibly siblings. It would be strange to not have it be more than just a passing mention in an episode (again, I don't recall any mention of this - did I miss it?)

EDIT: According to 12-26-75 podcast, Ep. 25, "A Wrongful Exoneration", time 47:16, "On 12-26-75 <and in Sept./Oct. '75??> Deangelo was a sergeant in the Exeter Police Department, and had a uniform, badge, and police car that he was allowed to take home."  So Deangelo could have done this on his time off in addition to while on duty.  Being a burglary investigator at that time, would Deangelo have valid on-duty reason to be investigation suspects within Visalia city limits? Would he have flexible hours meaning he could be driving the patrol car at any hour of day, and could get away with it by claiming to be on duty an any hour, if questioned? Were VPD officers used to seeing his vehicle driving around town - but the police phone officer who took the victim's parents' call not aware, due the desk-bound nature of the job?   

As a burglary investigator/sergeant, was Deangelo and exempt employee, on salary with flexible hours, or was he hourly with a set schedule?

[Red909XMZ1]

This is an excellent thread, with spot-on questions.

Thank you, Johnny, for informing us about this incident. I, too, would like to know the answers to the questions you are seeking.

It sure seems like JJD could have been the perpetrator - especially with the victim now coming forward and stating it was him.

Who could forget the face of an officer attempting to order you into his patrol car when you were just walking, minding your own business? Sadly, it is likely emblazoned in her memory.

I will be contemplating this incident when I hit the slopes this upcoming week.🎿 Thanks again, Johnny.

[Red909XMZ1]

As an LE officer, we are aware that JJD chose crimes to commit outside of his LE jurisdiction (this is not to say he did not also possibly commit crimes within his jurisdiction, too).

Evidence of this is his VR crimes in Visalia, while being employed as an LE officer in Exeter from 1973 - 1976, and his EAR series of crimes in Sacramento and the surrounding areas, while being employed as an officer in Auburn from 1976 - 1979.

The attempted kidnapping incident in Visalia in Sept./Oct. 1975 is highly significant when one considers the following:

1.) On September 11, 1975, JJD attempted an abduction of Beth Snelling, which resulted in the murder of her father, Claude Snelling, by JJD.

2.) JJD chose to commit the Snelling attempted abduction/murder in Visalia, a town outside of his LE jurisdiction.

3.) JJD was known to commit his VR and EAR crimes at times in flurries, where he would execute one crime after another in a short period of calendar time.

The attempted kidnapping in Sept./Oct. 1975 would correlate with JJD's pattern of committing crimes outside of his LE jurisdiction, and within a short period of calendar time from the Snelling attempted abduction/murder which occurred September 11, 1975.

[johnnyhands1]

Dec 29, 2019 10:44:47 GMT Red909XMZ1 said:

As an LE officer, we are aware that JJD chose crimes to commit outside of his LE jurisdiction (this is not to say he did not also possibly commit crimes within his jurisdiction, too).

Evidence of this is his VR crimes in Visalia, while being employed as an LE officer in Exeter from 1973 - 1976, and his EAR series of crimes in Sacramento and the surrounding areas, while being employed as an officer in Auburn from 1976 - 1979.

The attempted kidnapping incident in Visalia in Sept./Oct. 1975 is highly significant when one considers the following:

1.) On September 11, 1975, JJD attempted an abduction of Beth Snelling, which resulted in the murder of her father, Claude Snelling, by JJD.

2.) JJD chose to commit the Snelling attempted abduction/murder in Visalia, a town outside of his LE jurisdiction.

3.) JJD was known to commit his VR and EAR crimes at times in flurries, where he would execute one crime after another in a short period of calendar time.

The attempted kidnapping in Sept./Oct. 1975 would correlate with JJD's pattern of committing crimes outside of his LE jurisdiction, and within a short period of calendar time from the Snelling attempted abduction/murder which occurred September 11, 1975.

Thanks for that LE insight, Red.

Does what you're saying imply, assuming the attempted kidnapping event was fully described by the family to VPD, and VPD took it seriously, this event would be connected to the Snelling case (in whatever way LE connects related events in its files) - such that it would most likely already be known to current GSK investigators?

If so, do you think the victim and family members have already been contacted by the GSK prosecution team?

And, do you think this event could possibly come out at trial?

[Red909XMZ1]

Superlative inquiries as always, Johnny. Thank you for your thorough analysis in this noteworthy thread.

It is difficult to ascertain if the GSK investigators are aware of this incident.

One would think that any similar incidents occurring around the time of the Snelling attempted abduction/murder would be examined with a fine tooth comb.

Unfortunately, we do not even know if VPD investigated this incident, and due to it not being one of their officers, it may of been quickly discounted, doubted, and dismissed.

Due to the sheer gargantuan amount of information the GSK prosecution team is required to review, the first task they likely zeroed in on was compiling a priority list of jurisdictions and cases to focus on.

Thankfully, Tulare County prosecutors did charge JJD with Claude Snelling's murder. Hopefully, the female victim in the Sept./Oct. incident has come forward and reported to the prosecution team that she believes it was JJD who attempted to order her into his patrol car.

Whether or not this incident may come out at trial is anyone's guess at this time. If the GSK prosecution team decides not to place the victim on the witness stand, it may likely be because of the unknown date of the incident, along with a possible lack of investigation at the time, and higher priority cases to focus on in which there is evidence.

Most importantly, JJD's defense team would likely have a field day with this innocent victim on the witness stand, and it could potentially hurt the prosecution's case.

[vaden]

That's a really good find! I was torn between it being a JJD episode. At first thought it seemed like something JJD might try. But the more I thought about it I don't think JJD would risk wearing his police uniform while committing a crime. He was super careful, almost paranoid about any part of his identity being exposed. Remember he killed/shot everyone that got a good look at him, or who put up any resistance. But then again if he planned on killing her there wouldn't be any witnesses. But I was also like 70/30 that the ransacker and ear/ons were different people. I just couldn't get over the weight discrepancies. Funny thing is the second I saw JJD's mugshot the day he was arrested I immediately knew JJD was the Visalia ransacker. I think officer McGowen's sketch was amazingly accurate. This definitely needs more investigation though. Nice job on the find.

[murderinc]

Jan 23, 2020 21:52:19 GMT vaden said:

 At first thought it seemed like something JJD might try. But the more I thought about it I don't think JJD would risk wearing his police uniform while committing a crime. 

www.capradio.org/articles/2018/04/30/woman-says-golden-state-killer-suspect-raped-her-two-years-before-first-east-area-rapist-crimes/

[kg]

Jan 25, 2020 0:13:30 GMT tessia said:

I had a strange encounter with a police officer in Rancho Cordova in 1979. I was coming home late one evening and as I drove up to my house a police car pulled behind be suddenly with his light shining on me. He did not pull in front of my house, he stopped in the street in front of the house next door. What I recall is that I immediately had a feeling that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, I'm not sure but I've always had good intuition. He said I was driving pretty fast and wanted to know what I in a hurry for. He seemed a bit cocky, not what I would have expected from a professional. Bottom-line I had a feeling he was trouble and I always questioned if he was legitimate. He could definitely fit the description of JD during that time - the mustache, the face. I was anxious to get away from him and get in the house. As I walked towards my house, I basically told him I didn't even realize I was going fast. He warned to me to be careful. The only other reason I mention this is because I had been having some strange things happening and I was very on edge about EAR. Hang up calls, one lude phone call, tapping on my window at night and our house had been broken into once that I know of with nothing substantial missing. Now I live about 1 mile from where EAR last resided. I'm so thankful he's been caught.

Maybe he had to pull you over because his associate was rifling around in your house at the time. Was anyone else home before you arrived? IF it was Deangelo that was very risky to pull you over right by your house and behave oddly so he would have had to have a compelling reason for doing that. Do you remember if that was pre shoplifting arrest JJD or post?

[bltc2001]

Jan 25, 2020 0:13:30 GMT tessia said:

I had a strange encounter with a police officer in Rancho Cordova in 1979. I was coming home late one evening and as I drove up to my house a police car pulled behind be suddenly with his light shining on me. He did not pull in front of my house, he stopped in the street in front of the house next door. What I recall is that I immediately had a feeling that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, I'm not sure but I've always had good intuition. He said I was driving pretty fast and wanted to know what I in a hurry for. He seemed a bit cocky, not what I would have expected from a professional. Bottom-line I had a feeling he was trouble and I always questioned if he was legitimate. He could definitely fit the description of JD during that time - the mustache, the face. I was anxious to get away from him and get in the house. As I walked towards my house, I basically told him I didn't even realize I was going fast. He warned to me to be careful. The only other reason I mention this is because I had been having some strange things happening and I was very on edge about EAR. Hang up calls, one lude phone call, tapping on my window at night and our house had been broken into once that I know of with nothing substantial missing. Now I live about 1 mile from where EAR last resided. I'm so thankful he's been caught.

Holy cow, that's crazy, tessia...I am sure he cased four houses for every house he broke into, and attacked at only a fraction of those houses...he was constantly on the prowl, and he was bold, being a jerky, arrogant cop is consistent with his personality...who knows if it was JJD, but it's certainly consistent with his behavior, he is an in-your-face type of person, be it weaving in and out of traffic on a motorcycle at 100 mph, to screaming at neighbors, to screaming matches with his then-wife outside of her house...and that's just the behavior he showed in public, we know about the behavior he exhibited in private...

[tessia]

Jan 25, 2020 0:39:35 GMT kg said:

Jan 25, 2020 0:13:30 GMT tessia said:

I had a strange encounter with a police officer in Rancho Cordova in 1979. I was coming home late one evening and as I drove up to my house a police car pulled behind be suddenly with his light shining on me. He did not pull in front of my house, he stopped in the street in front of the house next door. What I recall is that I immediately had a feeling that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, I'm not sure but I've always had good intuition. He said I was driving pretty fast and wanted to know what I in a hurry for. He seemed a bit cocky, not what I would have expected from a professional. Bottom-line I had a feeling he was trouble and I always questioned if he was legitimate. He could definitely fit the description of JD during that time - the mustache, the face. I was anxious to get away from him and get in the house. As I walked towards my house, I basically told him I didn't even realize I was going fast. He warned to me to be careful. The only other reason I mention this is because I had been having some strange things happening and I was very on edge about EAR. Hang up calls, one lude phone call, tapping on my window at night and our house had been broken into once that I know of with nothing substantial missing. Now I live about 1 mile from where EAR last resided. I'm so thankful he's been caught.

Maybe he had to pull you over because his associate was rifling around in your house at the time. Was anyone else home before you arrived? IF it was Deangelo that was very risky to pull you over right by your house and behave oddly so he would have had to have a compelling reason for doing that. Do you remember if that was pre shoplifting arrest JJD or post?

[tessia]

Jan 25, 2020 1:02:18 GMT bltc2001 said:

Jan 25, 2020 0:13:30 GMT tessia said:

I had a strange encounter with a police officer in Rancho Cordova in 1979. I was coming home late one evening and as I drove up to my house a police car pulled behind be suddenly with his light shining on me. He did not pull in front of my house, he stopped in the street in front of the house next door. What I recall is that I immediately had a feeling that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, I'm not sure but I've always had good intuition. He said I was driving pretty fast and wanted to know what I in a hurry for. He seemed a bit cocky, not what I would have expected from a professional. Bottom-line I had a feeling he was trouble and I always questioned if he was legitimate. He could definitely fit the description of JD during that time - the mustache, the face. I was anxious to get away from him and get in the house. As I walked towards my house, I basically told him I didn't even realize I was going fast. He warned to me to be careful. The only other reason I mention this is because I had been having some strange things happening and I was very on edge about EAR. Hang up calls, one lude phone call, tapping on my window at night and our house had been broken into once that I know of with nothing substantial missing. Now I live about 1 mile from where EAR last resided. I'm so thankful he's been caught.

Holy cow, that's crazy, tessia...I am sure he cased four houses for every house he broke into, and attacked at only a fraction of those houses...he was constantly on the prowl, and he was bold, being a jerky, arrogant cop is consistent with his personality...who knows if it was JJD, but it's certainly consistent with his behavior, he is an in-your-face type of person, be it weaving in and out of traffic on a motorcycle at 100 mph, to screaming at neighbors, to screaming matches with his then-wife outside of her house...and that's just the behavior he showed in public, we know about the behavior he exhibited in private...

[tessia]

Jan 25, 2020 1:28:14 GMT tessia said:

Jan 25, 2020 0:39:35 GMT kg said:

Maybe he had to pull you over because his associate was rifling around in your house at the time. Was anyone else home before you arrived? IF it was Deangelo that was very risky to pull you over right by your house and behave oddly so he would have had to have a compelling reason for doing that. Do you remember if that was pre shoplifting arrest JJD or post?

[tessia]

I don't know when his arrest took place. I think I remember it happening in 1979 maybe? I know it was not during the winter so perhaps spring or summer because it was a nice evening and definitely not cold out. I know my parents were home because I was not in the habit of going into our house when it was unoccupied. I was very on edge during that time with all the craziness that had been going on with EAR. I agree it would be risky for him to do that but he didn't actually do anything that I would have reported to law enforcement so maybe he thought he was above it at the moment. I'm not really good at posting here - I meant to reply to a specific post.

[murderinc]

Jan 25, 2020 0:13:30 GMT tessia said:

I had a strange encounter with a police officer in Rancho Cordova in 1979. I was coming home late one evening and as I drove up to my house a police car pulled behind be suddenly with his light shining on me. He did not pull in front of my house, he stopped in the street in front of the house next door. What I recall is that I immediately had a feeling that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Maybe it was the look in his eyes, I'm not sure but I've always had good intuition. He said I was driving pretty fast and wanted to know what I in a hurry for. He seemed a bit cocky, not what I would have expected from a professional. Bottom-line I had a feeling he was trouble and I always questioned if he was legitimate. He could definitely fit the description of JD during that time - the mustache, the face. I was anxious to get away from him and get in the house. As I walked towards my house, I basically told him I didn't even realize I was going fast. He warned to me to be careful. The only other reason I mention this is because I had been having some strange things happening and I was very on edge about EAR. Hang up calls, one lude phone call, tapping on my window at night and our house had been broken into once that I know of with nothing substantial missing. Now I live about 1 mile from where EAR last resided. I'm so thankful he's been caught.

tessia where abouts in Rancho Cordova did you live when this happened?