Larry Crompton's Book

[portofleith]

Larry Crompton's Book "Sudden Terror" which chronicles the crimes of EARS ONS is now available at Authorhouse.com.

[corkykneivel]

New forum user here. Been fascinated by this series of crimes for years now. I was born (and bred) in Rancho Cordova the year the rapes began there.

I bought my copy of this extremely informative book after reading the press release about it in the Sacramento Bee last Saturday. I'm about 100 pages away from being done (its 481 pages) and man oh man is there a lot of never-before-released info, at least that I was aware of. There are some shocking revelations in there about how the EAR offended and the things he said and did. I'm sure that the forum regulars around here have probably already been privy to this information.

Each chapter is a different rape/attack. The who, whats, whens, and wheres are recounted for each attack. Its most definitely written by a policeman as it has a policeman's grim view of life and belittling sense of humor throughout, and is obviously not the work of a professional writer. But so what really? The things that make him a good cop don't necessarily have to make him a sensitive person or a spectacular author. Besides, I'm not the type of person who gets offended on behalf of people who might have their feelings hurt. The writing does suffer from repetition however, as well as a jumbled narrative.

So far whats really struck me is the lack of description of the events of the EAR before and after each attack. I would really like to know how he got away, what direction he traveled, what was he doing in and around the neighborhoods prior to each attack as well as the evening of. It really goes a long way to illustrate just how they've never been able to get a bead on the guy. As I mentioned I'm not done with it yet, although I haven't been able to put it down, and so far there's only a brief mention of the following:
Was he a student at the time?
Where did he work/what type of work? (Larry Crompton brings up newspaper deliverymen a few times but hasn't developed that idea yet)
Was there a significant pattern to the timing of the attacks?
Were the calls of several different suspicious characters in various makes and models of cars suspected of being the EAR? If so, how would one explain the access to those various cars?

So far my favorite parts have been, aside from the new revelations in MO, the developing and elimination of suspects.

[wintergirl]

Larry Compton worked for the Contra Costa County Seriff's Department. He was on the east area rapist task force.
I am about half-way though the book. It is very interesting and worth buying. A few things I found interesting so far was that ear/ons cried in the corner at 2 of the rapes. Many of his rape victims got hang up calls in the weeks before the rapes. He seem to make up little stories with many victims: " I saw you swimming, I saw you at the officer's club, I was at the same prom". I think he just gleaned info about the victims and said that as to show he was in their lives and or to throw LE off his trial. He also stole more jewerly and money than I thought. He took many of the victims rings, I wonder what happened to them all?

[wintergirl]

Done with the book. Most of the book is about the rapes, only a small amount is focused on the murders. There is only one line about the Maggiores murder, and nothing about ransaker theories. It seems in the begining when ear was raping and walking about with no pants on he was very near home, that area still can hold the clues. They have a list of people that lived there at that time but they never really focused on it completely. The book was good, I hope something comes of it.

[guessting]

The Visalia ransacker thoery is not discussed because Crompton does not believe the EAR and VR are the same person. I am convinced they are one and the same. g

[wintergirl]

I believe ear/ons is ransacker too. I really think he could have at least covered the Maggiores murder and had more about the other murders. I understand the second title is "the true story of California's most infamous sexual predator the east area rapist aka the original night stalker." So I guess the rapes were the focus. All in all it was a good book, I was hoping for more.

[guessting]

If nothing else we have a beginning. It is the only effort I am aware of that will get the word out. It is my prayer the that one individual will recognize EAR and send the tip we need to solve this case. I do believe that will happen. The content of Larry's book offers that opportunity. g

[dengas]

I'm in the process of a quick read through the book. The lotions, dishes, eating, etc. are certainly similar to VR. Next time through I'll do some highlighting, and then I'm going to purchase a copy for our Visalia Police Department. Maybe they'll realize why I believe that our VR left Visalia and headed north. He was frustrated due to Snelling's failed abduction, his fiasco with McGowen, and it is my opinion...the murder of Donna in Exeter 12/26/75. What was our VR doing in a ditch east of Lover's Lane -- same general area where articles of Donna's clothing were found? Coincidence?

I am amazed at what Comptom has released to the public.

[guessting]

I am grateful to Crompton for his willingness to continue the pursuit for EARONS. He is to be commended. g

[portofleith]

I believe, because Maggiore and the ONS murders are still open cases, they are not given as much coverage in the book as the EAR crimes in northern California.

However, there is interesting detail on some of the Goleta crimes that has never been made public before.

I highly recommend the book.

[wintergirl]

In a few of the rapes ear/ons tried or took the young victims out of the home, just like ransacker did with the Snelling daughter. He also ransacked the homes just like ransacker, in fact Larry C used the ransack word over and over in the book.

[wintergirl]

I agree that the murder cases are still open, but there is much info out in the public that Compton could have added without compromising any case. It would have been a more complete book. Also there was nothing in there about the town meeting "rape" in the book at all.

[guessting]

Dengas,

I agree 100% with you. I have no doubt that the VR is the EARONS. Even the attacks, days of the weeks, number of attacks are so strikingly similiar. The lubricant is a big give away. Considering in both groups of crimes he had a brand of choice and brought if with him on occasion is a huge tell tale sign. g

[dengas]

My next read through I'll be jotting down the various descriptions of the EAR, the varying descriptions of cars seen in the neighborhoods prior to the EAR attacks, and the similarities such as lotions, dishes, screen placements, etc.

I sure hope that those who have access to the records have already compared EAR-ONS and VR.

I know that October '75 has been questioned as being EAR. Do you have the specific October '75 EAR attacks at your fingertips? I'm wondering if VR left Visalia after Snelling, went north setting up a place to live, came back to Momma's house in Visalia to get belongings, ending with McGowen incident. I wonder what his intentions were at the McGowen incident...another attempted abduction?

[hdmi]

It is a smooth transition,#1), VR til Dec '75 then, #2),EAR in June of '76, Then #3), ONS in Dec '79 (Oct'79 attempt).

You have the key, I believe, you have just been stuck on your own POI's who are not the VR/EAR/ONS

[dengas]

hdmi
If you are saying that I have been stuck on my own POI, you are probably correct. However, over the past three years other PsOI have caught my attention. MS & RB were cleared (both had DNA run through since they were/are in prison). Now I have my eyes on two fellows from Visalia, but I don't know if either/both ever left the area, and really don't have the capabilities of finding out. They are both in their 60s now, and both lived in the McGowen shootout area. One collects military "stuff" and the other is pudgy, but also has a limp.

Do you remember in the first attach in Rancho Cordova how the gal said she heard her attacker talking to someone else?

What do you ALL think about that? I find it mind provoking, at least.

[wintergirl]

Ear/ons talked to himself on many occassions according to the book. It was probably just him talking to himself again. Sometimes he used a high pitched voice, other names talking though clentched teeth, I think it was all just him.

[mooneygrove]

Dengas,
I live here in Visalia (in the VR's target area no less) and am interested in the case. I beleive VR is still around, possibly here in Visalia.

[guessting]

Welcome mooneygrove. Do you have any ideas about the VR=EAR
connection?

[hdmi]

Maybe the Police in Visalia have the evidence to ID the VR/EAR/ONS..

The VR case is a homicide, Hopefully the VPD has maintained the evidence.

I saw a show the other day where a guy, Dr. John Bond, University of Leicester in England, came up with a new way of picking up fingerprints.

He was able to produce prints that no other way could and there was no limit to the age of the item being tested.

If the VREARONS made a mistake it would be in Visalia.

Even in Cromptons book you find examples of the EAR throwing away casings and a gun.

Dr. Bond's method of producing prints would work on that gun today. Even if it had been run through the mud and then washed.

The police probably returned the gun, that EAR tossed, to the owner.

Hopefully he made a mistake and touched something, without a glove on, that he threw away and was later recovered.

With any luck, evidence already exists to I.D. the perp.

[portofleith]

Some interesting comments from Davis LE:

search.davisenterprise.com/display.php?id=69433

[dengas]

Larry Cromptom didn't think the EAR was VR. Does anyone know his reasoning on this matter?

I remember reading in our local paper (Visalia Times Delta) that evidence in the Snelling murder had been sent off for DNA testing. I have absolutely no idea what was sent off, but obviously there must be something still in evidence. I wonder if they sent the items (gun, screwdriver, plastic rain jacket) that were found out in a ditch southeast of the ransacker's normal stomping grounds, off for DNA testing?

Probably not.

[guessting]

Our conversations have led me to believe he did not have pertinent Visalia information. I have passed those files onto him. I have no doubt that they are one and the same. g

[dengas]

My hope is that our current LE in Visalia are connected to LE in Sacramento, and that they are allllllllllllll sharing information at this point.

Nor have I ever had a doubt. One would think that the VR would have been caught..Visalia being so small in 1974-1976.

What is the key? Should I be looking at Mt. Whitney yearbooks more thoroughly? I have 1974 and 1975 copied, but maybe I need to copy 1972 and 1973 yearbooks as well. I think he must have lived in the Whitney area, somewhere in the middle of the two distinct areas that VR hit.

[dengas]

To continue with the thoughts of where he lived...
If he came to Visalia from Exeter...no off ramps (heading west) that would lead directly onto Conyer or Giddings.

If he came from Tulare, down Mooney Blvd., both Snelling's area and the McGowen incident area would have been easily reached without notice.

My feeling, however, is that he lived half way between the two and didn't come from out-of-town.

[dengas]

Sept 5, 2010 17:04:41 GMT -5 mooneygrove said:

Dengas,
I live here in Visalia (in the VR's target area no less) and am interested in the case. I beleive VR is still around, possibly here in Visalia.

Stay with us, Mooney Grove. Do you have any POIs? Have you done any research on your POI to know if he ever lived north/south?

[hdmi]

If the VPD still have a gun and screwdriver that were touched by the VR's bare hand, then they may be able to get fingerprints. He can't wipe away the microscopic etching (prints) that the acids leave on a metallic surface.

See above post on Dr.Bond

[guessting]

Hi Dengas,

It is nice to see you are still hanging in there. I have nothing that is concrete that tells me VREARONS did not live in Visalia. I do believe had he lived there he would of been identified. The town is so small and I just cannot imagine how a local could of gone undetected. I am working as a liaison between certain LE departments and I am trying to make sure they all have the same material. I do believe there is a lot more talking going on than in the past. I am seeing some alliances form and I am sending pertinent information to the jurisdcitions it belongs in. Let's hope and pray we see more and more of this type of working together. I am encouraged that everyone so far seems willing to work together and to share information. That is, all except for Santa Barbara, go figure. g

[mooneygrove]

I do have one person in mind. I have spoken with some people involved in the case (stakeout) as well. I am in law enforcement myself, so I obviously can't get too detailed here........

[guessting]

Mooneygrove,

Do you feel this case will be solved? Have you worked on it for long? Have you read Sudden Terror, if so what did you think about it?