"Sudden Terror" - a new book about the Original Night Stalker

[Kane]

There is a new book titled "Sudden Terror." The book is about the unknown California serial killer known as The Original Night Stalker.

As you know, the Original Night Stalker had previously committed a series of rapes during the 1970s and was known as the East Area Rapist. He then committed at least six confirmed murders during the 1980s, the last of which was in May 1986. It wasn't until a number of years later when DNA testing proved that the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker were one and the same. Most of his killings predated - and were similar to - those of the killings commited by "Night Stalker" Richard Ramierz. Hence the nickname "Original Night Stalker."

Also, as you probably remember, UM did a segment on the Original Night Stalker, which was originally broadcast in 2002. The segment, however, never specifically mentions the killer by that nickname.

Larry Crompton, the author of "Sudden Terror", was one of the detectives who investigated the East Area rapes in the '70s. He wrote the book in the hope that it will lead to a resolution to the serial murder case.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/08/prweb4220564.htm

[Corky Kneivel]

I bought my copy after reading the oress release in the Sacramento Bee last Saturday. I'm about 100 pages away from being done (its 481 pages) and man oh man is there a lot of never-before-released info. There are some shocking revelations in there about how the EAr offended and the things he said and did.

Each chapter is a different rape/attack. The who, whats, whens, and wheres are recounted for each attack. Its most definitely written by a policeman as it has a policemans grim sense of humor throughout, and is obviously not the work of a professional writer. But so what really? The things that make him a good cop don't necessarily have to make him a sensitive person or a spectacular author.

So far whats really struck me is the lack of description of the events surrounding each attack, what the EA must have been doing ro how he got around the neighborhoods. It really goes a long way to illustrate just how there is no clue as to the guy is. None. They don't even have suspects. They haven't figured out whether he was a student (brought up), where he might have worked, if he'd done time (brought up), or have a sure idea of what he even looks like. Its crazy.

[Zlatko]

Originally Posted by Corky Kneivel

I bought my copy after reading the oress release in the Sacramento Bee last Saturday. I'm about 100 pages away from being done (its 481 pages) and man oh man is there a lot of never-before-released info. There are some shocking revelations in there about how the EAr offended and the things he said and did.

Each chapter is a different rape/attack. The who, whats, whens, and wheres are recounted for each attack. Its most definitely written by a policeman as it has a policemans grim sense of humor throughout, and is obviously not the work of a professional writer. But so what really? The things that make him a good cop don't necessarily have to make him a sensitive person or a spectacular author.

So far whats really struck me is the lack of description of the events surrounding each attack, what the EA must have been doing ro how he got around the neighborhoods. It really goes a long way to illustrate just how there is no clue as to the guy is. None. They don't even have suspects. They haven't figured out whether he was a student (brought up), where he might have worked, if he'd done time (brought up), or have a sure idea of what he even looks like. Its crazy.

Sounds like it's worthwhile reading. I think it's eerie that this guy is still possibly in everyday society. He could be anyone's next door neighbor. It's amazing to think about the amount of people he terrorized, yet there's still no solid clue to who he is.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Zlatko

Sounds like it's worthwhile reading. I think it's eerie that this guy is still possibly in everyday society. He could be anyone's next door neighbor. It's amazing to think about the amount of people he terrorized, yet there's still no solid clue to who he is.

I am considering getting that book at some point. It didn't surprise me to learn that it contains information that was never released before, which means there is a lot of info that was unavailable to UM or any other show that has featured the case (i.e., Cold Case Files and E! THS Investigates).

[Corky Kneivel]

I've given consideration to the possibility that there are certain aspects of the writing and publishing of this book done with the intention of perhaps coaxing EAR into bringing himself out. Similar to the way BTK was "challenged" and eventually nabbed.

Such things include but are not limited to:

This book is put out through a website for self-publishers. To buy the book you have to give your name, address, birth date, and credit card information. Maybe they're hopeful EAR gets curious?? They can check a list of purchasers against old interviewees/suspects formerly ruled out.
Almost every victim is quoted as remarking at how small and skinnyEAR's penis is (this is repeated ad nauseum throughout the book) and how he was unable to maintain an erection several times.
EAR apparently "sobbed" at various attacks, going into a corner to cry (convincingly to the victims), and repeat over and over "Mommy...mommy...I don't want to do this any more" or some varitation of that lament.**
There are several psych profiles which reference he is almost certainly afraid of his domineering mother and had zero assertive male presence in his formative years.
There's a brief anecdote of one woman who bought a .357, certain that EAR was going to hit her home. She sat on her kitchen floor every night...waiting. Sure enough one night her window slides open and a man in a ski mask starts noiselessly making his way inside. She fired off a shot, intentionally missing the intruder because she was afraid of getting in trouble. The masked intruder slinked back out the window slowly smelling like he **** his pants. Was this brief mention of a hertofor unknown story thrown in to potentiallly embarass EAR?


Kane, Zlatko, I highly recommend this book. If for no other reason than an in-depth look at such a bizarre series of crimes.


** one victim thinks he said "Bonnie". He ALWAYS spoke through clenched teeth and whispered so perhaps this was a misunderstanding. The whole "sobbing" (victims words) routine might be just one piece of an elaborate system of ruses, however. It bears mentioning that EAR apparently played games with the LE's by giving several bits of "disinformation" to his victims. He would brag about having a camp along the river, say he just moved from LA, talk about being kicked out of the armed forces, say he drove a van, etc. Several consistent, and several inconsistent, statements most likely left with the voctims to give LE's and lead them on a wild goose chase.

[Zlatko]

Originally Posted by Corky Kneivel

I've given consideration to the possibility that there are certain aspects of the writing and publishing of this book done with the intention of perhaps coaxing EAR into bringing himself out. Similar to the way BTK was "challenged" and eventually nabbed.

Such things include but are not limited to:

This book is put out through a website for self-publishers. To buy the book you have to give your name, address, birth date, and credit card information. Maybe they're hopeful EAR gets curious?? They can check a list of purchasers against old interviewees/suspects formerly ruled out.
Almost every victim is quoted as remarking at how small and skinnyEAR's penis is (this is repeated ad nauseum throughout the book) and how he was unable to maintain an erection several times.
EAR apparently "sobbed" at various attacks, going into a corner to cry (convincingly to the victims), and repeat over and over "Mommy...mommy...I don't want to do this any more" or some varitation of that lament.**
There are several psych profiles which reference he is almost certainly afraid of his domineering mother and had zero assertive male presence in his formative years.
There's a brief anecdote of one woman who bought a .357, certain that EAR was going to hit her home. She sat on her kitchen floor every night...waiting. Sure enough one night her window slides open and a man in a ski mask starts noiselessly making his way inside. She fired off a shot, intentionally missing the intruder because she was afraid of getting in trouble. The masked intruder slinked back out the window slowly smelling like he **** his pants. Was this brief mention of a hertofor unknown story thrown in to potentiallly embarass EAR?


Kane, Zlatko, I highly recommend this book. If for no other reason than an in-depth look at such a bizarre series of crimes.


** one victim thinks he said "Bonnie". He ALWAYS spoke through clenched teeth and whispered so perhaps this was a misunderstanding. The whole "sobbing" (victims words) routine might be just one piece of an elaborate system of ruses, however. It bears mentioning that EAR apparently played games with the LE's by giving several bits of "disinformation" to his victims. He would brag about having a camp along the river, say he just moved from LA, talk about being kicked out of the armed forces, say he drove a van, etc. Several consistent, and several inconsistent, statements most likely left with the voctims to give LE's and lead them on a wild goose chase.

Thanks for the information, Corky. Wow, if the masked intruder was in fact the EAR, imagine all the people that have been spared if the woman had shot the guy. I don't think the author would lie about such an account.

I recall watching the E Special on the EAR. It mentioned that a woman claimed to have seen the EAR roaming around her neighbor's house but she was too afraid to call the cops. Corky, does the book mention anything about this account?

[Kane]

Originally Posted by Corky Kneivel

Kane, Zlatko, I highly recommend this book. If for no other reason than an in-depth look at such a bizarre series of crimes.

Not only do I intend to get Sudden Terror, but a few months ago I wrote to America's Most Wanted, suggesting they do a segment on the case.

[LaurierCrimmajor]

A sincerely interesting case, but one that I doubt will ever be solved unless this guy gets popped for a lesser/unrelated charge and his DNA profile matches what they have.

I mean, he could be goaded out due to them challenging his manhood in the book etc, but honestly, I don't think he'd take the bait unless he was intellectually petty(which he possibly could be), but considering how long he's been free would lead one to believe that he probably isn't going to take the bait at something so obviously poking at the bushes.

I would love to study the geographic profile of his attacks, because I've been studying that in school last semester and really believe that that style of criminology offers some interesting insights.

[Corkys-Place]

I recently watched a doco on this lunatic and was shocked at the brutality of some of his crimes. Had I been living in these areas during his reign of terror I would have been absolutely petrified.

[kadrmas15]

The problem is, all the so called 'composites' of this guy all look wildly different. The wild eyes, the normal looking guy, they are all different. My guess is, the EAR would be a guy, if you stood next to him in line at a supermarket, he would not act or look creepy at all. He in fact would be the guy you would least suspect of being a serial rapist and murderer. If he is still alive, my guess is he probably has not done state prison time, certainly not recently when DNA came into the picture and my guess is also while he acts one way with his victims, with people in his day to day life he acts very different. He either acts charismatic and charming or he at least does not make waves and might even come off as introspective and quiet, hence why no one that knew him ever suspected that he would have anything to do with this. BTK was the same way, a seemingly normal family man and church goer who was a good worker and good neighbor and didn't make waves and no one suspected him of having done his crimes until he outed himself.

[kadrmas15]

My guess on the EAR is contrary to the common profile reports, I do NOT think this guy acted the way with people in his day to day life that he acted like with the victims. My guess is the EAR's family and friends saw a very different person than we see. The EAR obviously had/has a very dark side that his family and friends and day to day acquaintances knew nothing about and would not connect with him.

[kadrmas15]

Also, I find Corky's theory interesting, that the book was written perhaps with the intention of getting the EAR if he still amongst us to want to try to do something that might without his knowledge, end up catching himself. However there are differences between EAR and BTK in this regard too. BTK had contacted the media back in the 70's and 80's albeit by letter whereas EAR to my knowledge never did this. Thus while EAR certainly followed the coverage of his crimes via the media he never felt a strong urge to actually contact them or interject himself in the investigation. The only reaching out I can tell EAR did was to contact his victims in the years sometimes decades after the attacks and rub their noses in it, in terms of what he did to them.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by kadrmas15

My guess on the EAR is contrary to the common profile reports, I do NOT think this guy acted the way with people in his day to day life that he acted like with the victims. My guess is the EAR's family and friends saw a very different person than we see. The EAR obviously had/has a very dark side that his family and friends and day to day acquaintances knew nothing about and would not connect with him.

I agree. I think the EAR/ONS lived a very compatmentalized life, as many violent criminals (and almost always intelligent ones) often do. And that is perhaps the main reason why he was never caught, as is unfortunately all too often the case.

[nohwheregirl]

Originally Posted by kadrmas15

Also, I find Corky's theory interesting, that the book was written perhaps with the intention of getting the EAR if he still amongst us to want to try to do something that might without his knowledge, end up catching himself. However there are differences between EAR and BTK in this regard too. BTK had contacted the media back in the 70's and 80's albeit by letter whereas EAR to my knowledge never did this. Thus while EAR certainly followed the coverage of his crimes via the media he never felt a strong urge to actually contact them or interject himself in the investigation. The only reaching out I can tell EAR did was to contact his victims in the years sometimes decades after the attacks and rub their noses in it, in terms of what he did to them.

Agreed on all accounts, but what he DID do was contact at least one of his victims after the crime. This leads me to think that he might try to contact the victims who revealed his...uh...inadequacies. I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say this is an irresponsible move on the author's part, but it's always a risk if he is still out there.

I would love to read this book, I'm just not sure if would be able to sleep at night! I might have to give it a try, though....

[soilentgreen]

Originally Posted by nohwheregirl

Agreed on all accounts, but what he DID do was contact at least one of his victims after the crime. This leads me to think that he might try to contact the victims who revealed his...uh...inadequacies. I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say this is an irresponsible move on the author's part, but it's always a risk if he is still out there.

A very good point, since he contacted the victim years after the attack. If he was keeping tabs on her, there's all likelihood that he was also keeping track of other victims (or their surviving family members).

I think there's a high possibility that this guy is still alive (he might not even have a criminal record, or one as a juvenile for burglary) and possibly has a family that has no idea of his crimes.