The Hillside Strangler murders terrorized Los Angeles throughout late 1977 and 1978, perpetrated by cousins Angelo Buono Jr. and Kenneth Bianchi. According to court records and historical accounts, the duo abducted, tortured, and murdered at least 10 young women and girls in the Los Angeles area, creating widespread panic across Southern California.
The Discovery of the Victims
The first victim, 19-year-old Yolanda Washington, was discovered nude and abandoned on a hillside in the Verdugo Hills on October 18, 1977, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Over the following months, authorities found the bodies of additional victims dumped along various roadside hillsides in and around Los Angeles County. The killer or killers left the bodies posed in distinct ways, leading media outlets to dub the unknown assailant the “Hillside Strangler.” Law enforcement agencies eventually formed a joint task force to handle the rapidly mounting homicide investigation.
Arrest and Confession of Kenneth Bianchi
Kenneth Bianchi was arrested in Bellingham, Washington, in January 1979 after murdering two local college students, Karen Mandic and Diane Wilder, according to Washington law enforcement records. Investigators in Washington soon linked Bianchi’s car and employment background to the Los Angeles homicides. Under interrogation, Bianchi confessed to the murders and implicated his cousin, Angelo Buono Jr., according to trial transcripts. Bianchi later agreed to testify against Buono in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.
Trial and Convictions of Buono and Bianchi
The subsequent trials of Angelo Buono Jr. and Kenneth Bianchi spanned several years and produced massive amounts of legal precedent and psychological evaluations. According to California court records, Buono was convicted in 1983 after what was then the longest and most expensive trial in California history. Superior Court Judge Ronald George sentenced Buono to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Kenneth Bianchi received multiple life sentences for his role in both the California and Washington murders, remaining incarcerated in a Washington state prison.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many victims were attributed to the Hillside Stranglers?
According to official law enforcement records and court testimonies, Angelo Buono Jr. and Kenneth Bianchi were convicted or linked to the murders of 10 young women and girls in the Los Angeles area during 1977 and 1978.
Where are Angelo Buono Jr. and Kenneth Bianchi today?
Angelo Buono Jr. died of natural causes in 2002 while serving a life sentence at the California State Prison in Solano. Kenneth Bianchi remains incarcerated for life without parole at the Washington State Penitentiary.
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