caption country states alias victims beginyear image article_title endyear name apprehended
police sketch of the suspect united states california the golden state killer east area rapist the diamond knot killer the 10 -lrb- rape victims -rrb- -- 13 -lrb- murder victims -rrb- 50 + december 30 , 1979 & nbsp ; file : original night stalker composite.jpg original night stalker
 & nbsp ; may 4 , 1986 the original night stalker never apprehended
original night stalker

the original night stalker is the name given to an unidentified serial killer and rapist who murdered at least ten people in southern california from 1979 through 1986 .
the crimes initially centered on east sacramento where at least fifty women were sexually assaulted between june 18 , 1976 , and july 5 , 1979 .
the perpetrator was dubbed the east area rapist .
in 2001 , the northern california rapes were linked by dna to murders in southern california .
the original night stalker/east area rapist was never apprehended ; several suspects have been cleared through dna , alibi , or other investigative means and methods .
