Crimes in Visalia (1973 to 1976)
Note: Due to the recent arrest, these pages are undergoing extensive updates. We plan to bring them back online soon. Please be patient!
The Beginning
In the small farm town of Visalia, CA, a string of odd incidents only tenuously related to the carnage to come began to occur. As the spring of 1974 began to take shape, it seemed a fledgling burglar was cutting his teeth in the area, ramping up his unique style of crime in May.
Summer 1973 (VR #001-#002)
September 1973 (VR #003-#006)
January 1974 (VR #007-#008)
March 1974 (VR #009)
April 1974 (VR #010-#013)
May 1974 (VR #014-#028)
June 1974 (VR #029)
Evolution
Strong strokes of anger, obsession, and the capacity for violence began to manifest itself in the serial offender known only in passing as "The Ransacker." The VR began evolving from a perverted peeper to a criminal who intended to take his compulsions even further.
September 1974 (VR #030)
October 1974 (VR #031-#037)
November 1974 (VR #038-#059)
December 1974 (VR #060-#075)
January 1975 (VR #076-#077)
February 1975 (VR #078-#084)
March 1975 (VR #085)
A Violent Offender
1975 continued at a slower pace -- that is until August and September when machinations for violent, sexually motivated crimes were set in motion. This phase of the Visalia Ransacker tragically ended in the murder of a brave man saving his daughter from the deranged Ransacker.
April 1975 (VR #086)
May 1975 (VR #087-#091)
June 1975 (VR #092-#093)
July 1975 (VR #094-#097)
August 1975 (VR #098-#106)
September 1975 (VR #107-#117)
The Claude Snelling Murder
Final Months
Even though he had just committed murder, the Visalia Ransacker didn't miss a beat. He continued to obsesively stalk certain households, he attempted to enter two homes in the middle of the night while the residents were inside, and when finally cornered, he opened fire on a police officer.
October 1975 (VR #118-#131)
November 1975 (VR #132-#142)
December 1975 (VR #143-#149)
The McGowen Shooting
January 1976 (VR #150)
October 1976 (VR #151)
Rapes and Murders (1975-1986)
Note: Due to the recent arrest, these pages are undergoing extensive updates. We plan to bring them back online soon. Please be patient!
Early Attacks
These attacks were focused in a fairly small geographic area in Sacramento, and generally involved attacking lone females.
- #1 6/18/76 Rancho Cordova
- #2 7/17/76 Carmichael
- #3 8/29/76 Rancho Cordova
- #4 9/04/76 Carmichael
- #5 10/5/76 Citrus Heights
- #6 10/9/76 Rancho Cordova
- #7 10/18/76 Carmichael
- #8 10/18/76 Rancho Cordova
- #9 11/10/76 Citrus Heights
- #10 12/18/76 Carmichael
- #11 1/18/77 Sacramento
- #12 1/24/77 Citrus Heights
- #13 2/7/77 Citrus Heights
- 2/16/77 Ripon Court
- #14 3/8/77 Sacramento
- #15 3/18/77 Rancho Cordova
Later Sac Attacks
EAR continued to attack in Sacramento, and now began attacking couples in their homes.
- #16 4/2/77 Orangevale
- #17 4/15/77 Sacramento
- #18 5/3/77 Sacramento
- #19 5/5/77 Orangevale
- #20 5/14/77 Citrus Heights
- #21 5/17/77 Carmichael
- #22 5/28/77 Sacramento
- #23 9/6/77 Stockton
- #24 10/1/77 Rancho Cordova
- #25 10/21/77 Foothill Farms
- #26 10/29/77 Sacramento
- #27 11/10/77 Sacramento
- #28 12/2/77 Foothill Farms
- Letters, Phone Calls, and Sightings
- #29 1/28/78 Sacramento
- Maggiores: 2/2/78 Rancho Cordova
- #30 3/18/78 Stockton
- #31 4/14/78 Sacramento
Attacks Outside Sac
In mid-1978, the attacks moved to other jurisdictions, particularly Contra Costa County, where the EAR attacked for roughly a year.
- #32 6/5/78 Modesto
- #33 6/7/78 Davis
- #34 6/23/78 Modesto
- #35 6/24/78 Davis
- #36 7/6/78 Davis
- #37 10/7/78 Concord
- #38 10/13/78 Concord
- #39 10/28/78 San Ramon
- #40 11/4/78 San Jose
- #41 12/2/78 San Jose
- #42 12/9/78 Danville
- #43 3/20/79 Rancho Cordova
- #44 4/5/79 Fremont
- #45 6/2/79 Walnut Creek
- #46 6/11/79 Danville
- #47 6/25/79 Walnut Creek
- #48 7/5/79 Danville
SoCal Attacks
The "EAR" becomes the "ONS" and the MO tragically changes to murder.
- ONS#1 10/1/79 Goleta
- ONS#2 12/30/79 Goleta
- ONS#3 3/13/80 Ventura
- ONS#4 8/19/80 Dana Point
- ONS#5 2/5/81 Irvine
- ONS#6 7/27/81 Goleta
- ONS#7 5/5/86 Irvine