Sharon Marie Huddle was actually married to Joseph James DeAngelo for over 40 years while he was out there killing more than a dozen people. But the big question remains: Did she know he was the infamous Golden State Killer?
Now, this is everything Sharon Marie Huddle has publicly said about her ex-husband Joseph James DeAngelo, also known as the Golden State Killer. And honestly, who can blame her for trying to avoid any more unwanted attention? I mean, imagine being married to a man who pleaded guilty to 26 charges of rape and murder. It’s definitely not an easy situation to navigate.
Speaking of charges, Joseph James DeAngelo was eventually charged with 13 counts of murder, along with some additional special circumstances. And on top of that, he faced 13 counts of kidnapping for robbery. In August 2020, he was hit with a combined 12 life sentences. Finally!
If you want to dive deep into the chilling details, I highly recommend checking out Michelle McNamara’s book, “I’ll Be Gone In the Dark.” It’s a true-crime masterpiece that chronicles the horrifying crimes committed by the Golden State Killer. This guy terrorized countless women in California for years without ever getting caught. And all the while, his wife, Sharon Marie Huddle, was raising their three children. Talk about a mind-boggling situation.
So, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to be married to a serial killer, look no further than the story of Sharon Marie Huddle. It’s a tale that will leave you both fascinated and disturbed.
Sharon Marie Huddle’s Early Years
Little is known about Sharon Marie Huddle, but the veil of mystery only adds to the intrigue. Born in 1953, she embarked on a journey in family law, leaving a trail of both praise and criticism. As we delve into her story, we uncover the enigmatic facts that shroud her existence.
During her time as a student at California State Sacramento, Huddle built the foundations of her career. It was here that fate intervened, intertwining her path with that of a dashing Vietnam veteran and former Navy officer studying criminal justice. Love blossomed, and in 1973, Sharon Huddle and Joseph DeAngelo exchanged vows, as his promising career in law enforcement began to unfold.
But behind the scenes, a dark cloud loomed. The peaceful town of Visalia, a mere 11 miles from their home in Exeter, was gripped by a wave of unsolved burglaries, leaving its residents in fear. And unbeknownst to all, the marriage between DeAngelo and Huddle was about to face its own trials and tribulations.
Stay tuned as we unravel the captivating tale of Sharon Marie Huddle and the events that followed.
The Golden State Killer’s Wife
So, there was this guy called the Visalia Ransacker, who went on a spree robbing around 100 homes in Northern California from 1974 to 1975. And then, the following year, another criminal popped up, known as the East Area Rapist, using similar methods to break into suburban homes and rape about 50 women over three years. Things got really confusing for the authorities when this serial killer started murdering people in Southern California. They started calling him the Original Night Stalker because he had a thing for targeting couples, tying them up, and often raping the women before shooting or beating them to death. Crazy, right?
Now, here’s the kicker. All this time, everyone thought these crimes were the work of different people because they were happening all over the place. But nope, it was just one person. And guess what? Sharon Huddle, the wife of this guy named DeAngelo, had no idea he was the culprit. Can you believe it? DeAngelo seemed like such a stand-up guy. He even served in Vietnam, got a bunch of medals, and worked as a cop. Talk about hiding in plain sight!
The truth is, a lot of people suspected that this killer was somehow connected to law enforcement. It wasn’t just a hunch. Wendell Phillips, a former Sacramento sheriff’s deputy, said there was no doubt in his mind that the guy was either military or a cop, or maybe both. And you know what’s even more mind-boggling? The East Area Rapist had already committed 50 rapes by the time DeAngelo and Sharon had their first daughter in 1981. And he didn’t stop there. He kept terrorizing Southern California until 1986. What a nightmare.
Fast forward a bit, and DeAngelo started working at Save Mart grocery chain in 1989. He held that job for a whopping 27 years, all the while the FBI was trying to track down the Golden State Killer. Crazy thing is, nobody at work suspected a thing. DeAngelo seemed like a regular guy, just a mechanic doing his job. But little did they know, he was leading a double life.
Oh, and did I mention that DeAngelo and Sharon Huddle slept in separate bedrooms by the 1970s and eventually separated in 1991? Yeah, things were definitely not all sunshine and rainbows in their marriage. But they managed to still co-parent their three daughters, and from what it seems, they did it pretty amicably.
Now, here’s the kicker. One of their daughters is an emergency room physician, another one is a graduate student at the University of California in Davis, and their third daughter and Sharon Huddle’s granddaughter were actually living with DeAngelo when he was finally arrested. Can you imagine finding out that your loved one is a notorious serial killer? Talk about a shocking revelation.
Life can be so unpredictable, huh?
Joseph James DeAngelo’s Wife Today
So, apparently, when officers raided Joseph James DeAngelo’s home back in 2018, he casually mentioned that he had a roast in his oven before they took him into custody. Can you believe that? And get this, they actually used DNA from his car door handle and discarded tissues to link him to the crimes using some online genealogy database. Talk about advanced detective work!
You know, there’s this true-crime book called I’ll Be Gone In the Dark by McNamara that was turned into an HBO documentary. It accurately predicted that DNA would play a crucial role in cracking the case. Now, here’s the interesting part: Sharon Huddle, DeAngelo’s wife, either didn’t believe he was guilty or made the curious decision to wait until a year after his arrest to file for divorce. I mean, seriously?
According to attorney Mark Reichel, the DA’s office can actually subpoena Sharon Huddle. Once the marriage is dissolved, she loses the right to refuse to talk. She can’t discuss communications, but she can definitely talk about her observations, like “He wasn’t home that night” or “He came home wearing those clothes.” She can basically be a domestic diary of this guy’s daily activities. How crazy is that?
Now, DeAngelo’s sister described him as the kindest, gentlest man with his children. Can you believe the contrast? But his neighbors, on the other hand, always thought he was a bit cantankerous. Some even gave him the nickname “Freak” because of his outbursts. I guess people never really know what’s going on behind closed doors, huh?
Speaking of closed doors, Sharon Marie Huddle remained silent for a long time after DeAngelo’s arrest. She only broke her silence after DeAngelo pleaded guilty in June 2020. During the subsequent sentencing hearings in August, she submitted a written statement. I gotta tell you, it’s pretty chilling. She said, “I will never be the same person. I now live every day with the knowledge of how he attacked and severely damaged hundreds of innocent people’s lives and murdered 13 innocent people who were loved and have now been missed for 40 years or more.” But here’s the thing, she never once referred to DeAngelo by name. It’s as if she can’t fully confront the terrifying things her husband did, even after all these years.
Wow, what a story. It’s just mind-boggling to think about the complexity of human relationships and the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface.
