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In the early morning hours of August 29, 1976, 12 year daughter of homeowner was awakened by a soft breeze stirring her wind chimes. She had hung them before her bedroom window. Window was near head of bed. When looking up toward chimes, witness was confronted by the head and shoulders of a ski-masked figure at her open window. The dark, tight fitting hood only had eye holes, which caused figure’s eyes to stand out. This horrid figure with his glassy eyes was attempting to pry off the screen.
Upon noticing her, figure stared straight into her eyes. Yet figure did not immediately move. Slowly, according to witness, figure lowered until out of sight.
Witness (12 year old daughter of homeowner) rushed to the master bedroom, where her mother was sleeping. (The father had left for work at 10:30 p.m. August 28 and was not home.) Witness awoke mother and told her a man with a ski mask was at her window trying to get in. Mother bolted with daughter in tow and rushed toward bedroom. Both peered out window into backyard. Neither could see anyone.
At first mother doubted, wondering whether her daughter had had a dream. Daughter (witness) insisted it was a man with a mask and that he was trying to pry off the screen. Mother went into living room and peered out back sliding glass door. She could see nobody in the darkened yard. Moon glow cut many alternating strands of shadow and light.
Mother decided to wake the eldest daughter, 15, in her own bedroom. Daughter (15) was initially uninterested and suggested they call the police. Daughter went back to sleep.
Hesitant to do so, mother and younger daughter returned to her (12 year old’s) bedroom. Upon entering, both saw the masked figure at the window. Both were stunned. Upon seeing them the masked figure turned and disappear toward the back fence.
With 12 year old daughter, mother rushed to the kitchen and dialed the Operator for the police. However, neither had bothered to close the window.
While waiting for the other end to pick up, both mother and daughter (formerly referred to as 12 year old witness) heard the chimes and drapery rod crash. Within moments, the hooded figure stood by them.
Figure was a masked man, wearing brown T-shirt, tight fitting nylon mask with a slit cut for the eyes. There was no opening for the nose or the mouth. Figure was naked from waist on down. Masked intruder wore a type of hiking boots. He wore a wide belt, about 3 or 4 inches, similar to a lineman’s. It was shiny, not dull. He held a small 2 inch barrel revolver in left hand and a club in the right. He wore tight fitting black gloves. Club appeared to be about a foot long and sheathed in leather. Though naked below waist, the masked man was not aroused. Man was lean, about 5 feet 9 inches tall. He was not a large man.
He commanded with an angry whisper, through clenched teeth: “Freeze, or I’ll kill you! Hang up the phone now!”
Mother immediately hung up the phone (Operator had not yet picked up).
Masked intruder demanded: “Who else is in the house?”
Regrettably the 12 year old daughter replied that only the sister was in the house.
Masked intruder now came very close to mother. Mother grabbed his gun hand. He began beating her head with the club. She continued to struggle until more bludgeoning subdued her. The daughter had been screaming, terrified.
Masked intruder ordered daughter to shut up. Mother, though laying on kitchen floor, was still conscious. He ordered them into the living room and when there ordered them to sit down on the couch. He still spoke in a clenched-teeth, angry whisper.
Mother pled with him to leave them alone. She cajoled him about his behavior, invoking God and telling him this was not right.
He pulled a cut towel from the back of his belt. “I only want your money.”
He grabbed the mother’s arms and yanked them behind her, preparatory to binding them.
Despite the masked intruder’s assurances he only wanted money, mother struggled and fought back (obviously there was no reason to believe him since he was naked from the waist down). She broke free and ran for the front door. Intruder pursued and started clubbing her on the head repeatedly. She grabbed the door handle, opened it and bolted outside. Intruder followed. Twelve year old daughter was close behind.
Mother, screaming for help, ran across the front lawn to the next door neighbor. Masked intruder went across street. Daughter followed mother.
Having heard the commotion in the house, 15 year old daughter had taken off her screen, got out, hopped the fence, saw her mother and sister run across the lawn, and followed them. Neighbor had heard the ruckus and had just opened the door. All 3 made it inside to safety.
Neighbor across the street noticed 4 people running from house. One, a man, ran across the street and crouched behind her neighbor’s bushes. The other 3, all women, ran into their neighbor’s house, one screaming for help. She reported that the male who ran across the street watched the other 3 enter the house. Then he stood up and walked casually away. It was then that the witness realized he was naked from the waist down.
Investigation
Sheriff deputies arrived at 3:28 a.m. Mother had fallen into unconsciousness briefly (at neighbor’s) and was now awake again. She was removed to the hospital. Inside victim’s house, deputies discovered blood in the entryway (drops), smears on the wall and on the interior of the front door. A picture frame and its glass was shattered on floor. Blood was on the kitchen floor; phone was ripped out of the wall. The bindings he intended to use were lying about. A towel, described as “off white,” was on the family room floor, both ends tied together to form a circle. It did not belong to the house. A 2 inch x 12 inch swath of towel, torn or cut to this length, was on one of the couch cushions. A black shoelace was on the arm of the chair, another on the floor nearby. 
Examination of the bedroom window through which the intruder had entered showed that the drapery rod was detached on one end, the chimes fallen. The window was wide open, the screen removed.
In the yard underneath the window, a wooden lawn chair had been set by the intruder in order for him to stand thereon to pry the screen.
A search of the neighborhood uncovered no pair of pants left anywhere. Deputies cruising the neighborhood came across no suspect, fully dressed or otherwise.
From the description, it is clear that this was the same rapist who had attacked the 23 year old victim nearby and the 15 year old in Del Dayo. The location of this home, despite being on a different street, was only 2 yards away from the first victim’s house on Paseo Drive.
Interview with the mother confirmed that the attacker was not a very big man. In her estimation he was not very strong. She felt that if he had not had the club and gun she could have “taken him.” Mother was 41 years old. She would require numerous stitches in her scalp. She had many bruises, both on her head, face, arm, and sternum. She would recover.
In subsequent interviews, the father stated that he began working nights only 2 days before. He wondered whether the attacker knew that his wife and daughters were there without him now. (They only had one car.)
Description of Perpetrator:
In addition to what has already been mentioned, mother described his legs as lean and muscular. There was really no visible leg hair. His pubic hair was dark. She estimated his age between 18 and 20. His legs were slightly tan. He stood with impressive posture, like a cop or military man. Interestingly, during the struggle he didn’t always speak with clenched teeth. His normal voice seemed higher pitched. Nylon mask was not like pantyhose, but nylon material like a ski hood. It was tight fitting, with only an eye slit.
Geography:
The neighborhood is the same as Victim 1. This home was only 2 yards away from the first victim’s home, though on another street.
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