Kenneth Bianchi, one of the two men guilty of the gruesome ‘Hillside Strangler’ killings in Los Angeles, has been denied parole for the eighth time. This decision keeps Bianchi, now 74, locked up in a Washington prison on a life sentence.
This was his eighth rejection for parole since his initial refusal in 1985, with another being a significant rejection in 2010.
Who is Kenneth Bianchi?
Bianchi and his cousin, Angelo Buono Jr., terrorized Los Angeles between late 1977 and early 1978. In a sickening four-month period, they kidnapped and killed ten girls and young women ranging in age from 12 to 28.
Their bodies were frequently strangled and left lying on hillsides, where they became known as the ‘Hillside Stranglers’.
Police have explained, “Bianchi and Buono pretended to be police officers to make their victims complacent,” showing phony badges to trick unsuspecting women who were sitting at bus stops or walking home.
Arrest and Trial
Bianchi was finally caught in Washington state in January 1979, although Buono was not arrested until later that October. As a way of receiving a lighter sentence, Bianchi entered a plea bargain by offering to testify against his cousin, an agreement that paved the way for possible parole.
Still, his cooperation never freed him. Buono, who also received a life sentence, died in prison in 2002.
Additional Crimes and Impact
Aside from the Los Angeles murders, Bianchi claimed to have murdered two other women in Washington by himself. While in jail, he even altered his own name to Anthony D’Amato sometime around two years ago.
The cousins’ gruesome crimes, which involved rape, torture, and strangulation, sent fear waves through the city of Los Angeles, with women afraid to go out at night. For months, police went about attempting to apprehend those who terrorized the city.
Every time Bianchi has appeared in front of the parole board, victim families have spoken out against him in outrage. Their never-give-up spirit made it so that the result never changes: Bianchi still remains incarcerated.
