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Claude Snelling

September 11, 1975

Claude Snelling, a 45-year-old journalism professor, was asleep at his home in Visalia, California, when he heard a strange noise outside at around 2am.

He rushed out to find a masked man training his 16-year-old daughter Elizabeth.

The abductor fired Snelling twice, killed him and fled on foot, leaving Elizabeth unharmed.

The shooting was related to the work of Visalia Ransacker, suspected of being responsible for 102 burglaries in the area, when Ballistics compared the weapon that killed Snelling to the one that had been stolen during a previous break-in.

Brian and Katie Maggiore

February 2, 1978

Brian Maggiore, 21, and his wife Katie, 20, were walking their dog in their Rancho Cordova neighborhood, just outside Sacramento, on February 2, 1978.

The FBI said the couple had been chased before being shot by the Golden State killer.

Dr. Robert Offerman and Alexandria Manning

December 30, 1979

Robert Offerman, 44, and Alexandria Manning, 35, were killed in a house in Goleta, near Santa Barbara.

Offerman, an osteopathic surgeon, and Manning, a clinical psychologist, had their hands tied with string.

Lyman and Charlene Smith

March 13, 1980

Lyman Smith, 43, and his wife, Charlene, 33, were shot to death by fire in a fireplace in their home in Ventura County.

Smith was a lawyer who had just been appointed judge. His wife worked as clerk of the court.

Patrice and Keith Harrington

August 19, 1980

Patrice Harrington, 28, and her husband Keith, 25, were killed at their home in Dana Point. Police said that they had been beaten with a blunt instrument.

Patrice was a pediatric nurse and her husband was a medical student at UC Irvine.

Manuela Witthuhn

February 5, 1981

Manuela Witthuhn, 28, was raped and beaten to death at her home in Irvine.

She was home alone at the time because her husband was in the hospital recovering.

Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez

July 27, 1981

Cheri Domingo, 35, and Gregory Sanchez, 27, were sitting in Goleta after being murdered in bed.

Domingo was found with his hands tied and suffering serious head injuries. Sanchez was hit and bludgeoned.

Janelle Lisa Cruz

May 4, 1986

Janelle Cruz, 18, was beaten to death at her family's home in Irvine. She was alone at home at that time and the police found her lying on her bed.

A real estate agent who was selling the family home was the first to discover the body of the teenager. Blood was splashed all over the house and the police think she was beaten with a pipe wrench.