The couple was awakened by a tapping sound. In the doorway to their master bedroom there stood a silhouette of a figure behind the splatter of a flashlight beam. He was tapping on their door frame.

     “Wake up, motherfuckers. Get on your stomachs and put your hands behind your backs.  I’ve got a .357 magnum and if you flinch, I’ll blow your fucking brains out.”

   “Tie him up,” the intruder ordered. He threw a shoelace at the victim’s face. “Tie him tight,” he repeated as the victim tied her husband’s wrists.

     The assailant then ordered her on her stomach. He tied her wrists and ankles and then tied her husband tighter. He placed the gun muzzle against his head and cocked it.

   “Don’t flinch. All I want is money and food to put in my van and then I’ll leave.”

     Assailant then left the room.

     Victim and husband could hear him rummaging throughout the house, opening drawers in the kitchen, cabinets, rustling about through the other rooms. They did not hear him return until he spoke: “One move and there’s going to be two dead people.” He spoke through clenched teeth in an angry, threatening hiss.

     He cut the shoelaces that bound the victim’s ankles. “Get off the bed,” he then ordered, poking her with the knife.

     While she stood by waiting, assailant put the gun to her husband’s head again. “If you make a move I’m going to blow up your fucking kid.”

     The assailant led the victim to the family room. He ordered her on the floor, tied her ankles again and then rummaged through the kitchen. She heard him walk past. He went down the hallway to the master bedroom, where he placed dishes on the back of the husband. He warned him that if he heard these rattle he would kill him. He then returned to the family room, untied the victim, and raped her. Afterward, he tied her again, so tightly it cut into her skin.

Investigation

Modesto Police responded at 3:56 a.m. and found the usual scene in the aftermath of the EAR.

Description

Description is largely assumed due to the fact the East Area Rapist kept the flashlight beam in their eyes the whole time. He wore gloves (as always), a dark ski mask, had a gun (no reason to doubt it was a .357 magnum as he said), knife, and dark clothes. At this point in his strikes he consistently wore a blue wind breaker or something similar, though it was not described distinctly.

Geography

The location of this attack is particularly intriguing. It will become more so with time and with 2 more attacks in Modesto. See Pictures below.

House

The house is a single story, detached middle class home.

Analysis

On the face of it, the location of the attack seems a little outside of EAR’s usual tactical strategy. The area resembles the Merlindale area of Citrus Heights where EAR struck a couple of victims. However, EAR certainly knew Sacramento’s East Area. It would be some form of lead if one could say that he knew Modesto, but the contrary seems evident.

     It will become clear as his crime spree evolves that the further he got from areas he knew, he followed the “CATs”— the huge power pylon corridors. He knew he would find empty ground underneath and eventually communities on either side of them.

     We will elaborate on this later, but it will become clear that EAR did not know Modesto. He followed the CATs and rippled out from the corridor until he found a victim that suited him.

     The Fuchsia Lane attack is also curious for the fact that EAR reverted to his modus operandi in his first attack in Rancho Cordova. He awoke both victims by tapping on the door.

Night Predator
Files on the East Area Rapist/Original Night Stalker