Unlikely Duo, Unimaginable Crimes
Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono were cousins with an unsettling relationship that led to a killing spree between 1977 and 1978 in Los Angeles. The term “Hillside Stranglers” quickly caught on in the media. Dr. Scott Bonn, a criminologist, once said in an interview, “It’s extraordinarily rare to have a team of killers who are also related. This was a partnership forged in a psychological hell.” Their family backgrounds were fraught with instances of abuse and criminal activity, setting the stage for their future as killers.
The Methodical Madness
Victims were often young women who were lured into the cousins’ car under the guise of the men being undercover police officers. They even had fake badges. They then subjected the women to horrendous sexual assaults before strangling them to death. Peter Vronsky, author of “Serial Killers: The Method and Madness of Monsters,” writes, “The Hillside Stranglers were the epitome of methodical planning meeting sadistic intent. They prepared carefully and executed brutally.”
The Trail of Victims
Between October 1977 and February 1978, at least ten women fell victim to their brutality. The Los Angeles Times, in its coverage during that period, stated, “The city is gripped with fear as another body was discovered this morning, linking it to the string of Hillside Strangler murders.”
Capture and Trial
Bianchi, unable to maintain his web of lies, was arrested in Bellingham, Washington for unrelated crimes. When inconsistencies in his stories began to emerge, Los Angeles detectives took notice. A 1979 Los Angeles Times article reported, “The moment he tripped up, investigators knew they had a substantial lead, a lead that eventually connected the dots to Angelo Buono.”
The Trials and the Twisted Defense
During the trial, Kenneth Bianchi attempted to plead insanity by faking a multiple personality disorder. Dr. Martin Orne, an expert on hypnosis and disassociative disorders, testified, “It was clear from our evaluations that Bianchi was faking. He is an individual who tries to manipulate everyone around him.” Bianchi eventually testified against Buono to avoid the death penalty. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Aftermath and Cultural Impact
Buono died in prison in 2002, but Bianchi continues to serve his life sentence. The story of the Hillside Stranglers has spawned numerous books, documentaries, and even a couple of films. Harold Schechter, in his work “The Serial Killer Files,” mentioned, “They’ve become part of our cultural lexicon, cited in studies and serial murder symposiums. They’re the embodiment of manipulative evil.”
Lasting Infamy
Years after their capture, the case of the Hillside Stranglers still commands a dark interest. It remains a touchstone in criminological and psychological circles. A New York Times op-ed penned years later remarked, “Their saga represents the chilling reality of what can happen when two individuals with anti-social tendencies come together in a twisted symbiosis.”
By digging deeper into each layer of this notorious case, we see a microcosm of pathological behaviors, social ills, and systemic failures. Their crimes serve as an ominous reminder of the chilling potential for evil when like-minded perpetrators join forces.