Victim’s husband was simultaneously awakened by his barking cocker spaniel and by a man saying:

     “Shut the fucking dog up.”

     Husband noticed that a man with a dark ski mask was pointing a gun at him. A flashlight beam played over his face and blinded his eyes.

       “Shut the fucking dog up! One flinch and I’ll blow your fucking head off.”

       Husband picked up the cocker spaniel and quieted him.

       Victim now awoke and asked what was going on.

       “Shut up!” responded the intruder. “Roll over.”

     Same routine follow here as in earlier cases. Intruder ordered victim to tie husband’s hands behind his back, warning her “Don’t flinch or don’t try anything.” Then he threw the shoelaces in front of the victim. Through clenched teeth he ordered “Tighter, tighter!” He then ordered her to lay back on her stomach.

     Assailant rummaged through the closet. He pulled more laces from the husband’s tennis shoes. He ripped the covers off the bottom of their feet and tied up the husband’s ankles. He said his usual lines here, such as — “Lie still or you’ll get your fucking heads blown off.   All I want is food and money for my van.” As he tied the husband’s ankles he said: “If you try and kick me, I’ll blow your fucking brains out. If you’re going to make your move you better make it good because I’m going to blow your fucking brains out.”

     Assailant then tied the victim’s feet. He went back around the bed and pressed the muzzle of his gun against the forehead of the victim’s husband. “If you try anything, I’ll kill your fucking wife and it will be your fault.”

     After this, assailant rummaged throughout the house. When he reentered the bedroom he said to the victim: “You’re trying to get him free.”  He pulled her up from the bed, untied her feet, and pushed her to the hallway. As they were leaving, he turned back to the husband:

     “If you flinch, I’ll kill your wife.” Then he growled at her: “And if you try anything, I’ll come back and kill him.”

     After a little while he returned to the bedroom and rummaged around again and opened up dresser drawers. He took the husband’s .357 Magnum from the night stand and left. Minutes later he returned with dishes.

     “I’m putting the dishes on the bed and if I hear them rattle, I’ll kill your wife. I’ll blow her fucking brains out.” He blindfolded the husband with a piece of torn towel.

Investigation

Investigation uncovered that the EAR took the revolver and their wedding rings. He had entered the house through the sliding glass window in the kitchen. He spent 45 minutes in the house.

Description

None

Geography

House

House is a single story, detached middle class home. Some accounts give the street of the attack as Grand Prix, northwest of Sylvan and Coffee.

Analysis

Unfortunately, there is no clear description of EAR here, though he doubtless looked similar as in his other attacks.

     The area was under construction, so that a number of lots were still vacant and neighbors few. Nevertheless, aside from the open fields and lots, EAR kept close to a new park.

     In the Sacramento cases when EAR had to deal with a male victim who had a gun in the bedroom, he had entered previously and removed the bullets, such as in No 24 and No 26. In the case of No 24 he even tried to goad the man into going for his empty shotgun, which EAR had earlier unloaded.

     EAR did not try that here, so it seems that he may not have known the victim had a Trooper in his night stand. EAR didn’t make a big deal about a gun either, as he did in another case (26), insisting he knew the man had a gun. This is just another indication that EAR did not know Modesto well and did not have a lot of concentrated pre-stalking and prowling time to ascertain his intended victims’ lifestyles and routines.

     Sylvan and Coffee is down the road from Standiford, one of Modesto’s main thoroughfares. EAR did not wander far from a quick escape.

Night Predator
Files on the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker