Angelo Buono displayed a troubling hatred toward women from a young age — and in 1983, he was sentenced to life in prison for raping, torturing, and killing nine women and girls alongside his cousin Kenneth Bianchi.
Los Angeles Public LibraryAngelo Buono after his arrest in 1979 .
When Kenneth Bianchi arrived at the Los Angeles household of his full cousin Angelo Buono Jr. in 1976 , he speedily became entrance with the older valet ’s hedonic lifestyle .
The human relationship would n’t take long to plow deadly .
Los Angeles Public LibraryAngelo Buono after his arrest in 1979.
Within two yr of Bianchi ’s move from the East Coast , the pair would embark on a terrifying killing spree , murder at least 10 women and girls between the ages of 12 and 28 over just four months .
The murders struck fright into the heart of the city . However , the two men ceased their action just a few months after they started . Bianchi moved to Washington , and Buono apparently would have escaped justice forever if not for the misunderstanding of his cousin , who begin killing again less than a year later — and was quickly take in .
This is the tarradiddle of Angelo Buono , one of the “ Hillside Stranglers . ”
Bettmann/Getty ImagesAngelo Buono talks to a woman in front of his auto upholstery shop in Los Angeles on 14 April 2025.
Angelo Buono’s Life Turns Violent At A Young Age
Bettmann / Getty ImagesAngelo Buono talks to a woman in front of his auto upholstery shop in Los Angeles on April 23 , 1979 .
Angelo Anthony Buono Jr. was born on Oct. 5 , 1934 , in Rochester , New York . Buono ’s parents divorced ahead of time in his lifetime , and he was after raised by his mother in Glendale , California , where they move when he was five yr previous .
Buono was young when he begin prove violent and hateful tendencies . consort toCrime Library , Buono bragged about raping little girl when he was just 14 . Around the same sentence , he was arrest for grand thieving auto and sent to a reformatory school .
Public Domain/Wikimedia CommonsAngelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi tortured and killed their victims in the auto upholstery shop next to Buono’s Glendale home.
As an adult , he was splice multiple prison term , had several child , and was allegedly an improbably abusive mate .
In January 1976,Kenneth Bianchi , who had been adopted into Angelo Buono ’s prolonged family as an infant , arrived in Los Angeles , escaping from a string of abortive task and a failed marriage .
To Bianchi , cousin Angelo Buono ’s life-time must have seemed impressive . The older Buono was a self - fashioned ma’am ’ human race who dressed expensively and brag about how often he had sex . He even called himself the “ Italian Stallion . ” Buono shortly took Bianchi under his wing .
Los Angeles Public LibraryAngelo Buono was convicted of nine murders in November 1983.
As Bianchi tried and go to gain a financial foothold in the metropolis , dropping out of several careers and submitting stillborn applications to local police departments , Buono approached him with an theme : Why did n’t the two of them become pimp ?
The two ready up a scheme , planning to snatch some runaways and force them into sex employment .
presently , they find their victims in teenagers Sabra Hannan and Becky Spears . But not long after Bianchi and Buono had kidnapped them and pushed them into the sordid venture , the two fille escaped , again throwing the cousins ’ financial future into doubt .
The pair revisited the idea , adjudicate to count on out the Hoosier State and outs of the business . The men soon met sexual activity worker Deborah Noble and Yolanda Washington , who agreed to sell them a list of customers .
The leaning , however , was faux .
Consumed by madness at the skullduggery , the dyad drove to where Washington had advert she worked . They kidnapped her , raped her , and killed her . Her body was found naked and bound on the side of a James Jerome Hill on Oct. 18 , 1977 .
She was the first dupe of the mysterious “ Hillside Strangler . ”
The Vicious Crimes Of The Hillside Stranglers
Public Domain / Wikimedia CommonsAngelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi tortured and killed their victims in the auto upholstery store next to Buono ’s Glendale dwelling .
After kill Yolanda Washington , Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi did not take long to strike again . Two weeks later , they kidnap , raped , and kill 15 - class - old Judith Lynn Miller after “ arresting ” her for gender work .
Over the next month - and - a - half , the men killed seven more times before going tacit for two months . They murdered their final dupe , Cindy Lee Hudspeth , on Feb. 16 , 1978 .
Buono and Bianchi would flash police badge , luring women into their Cadillac through trickery or force . They then drove their dupe back to Buono ’s auto upholstery store , where they would rape , torture , and then kill them .
Though the media dub the mystery killer the “ Hillside Strangler , ” the human beings cruelly experimented with various slaying method , such as inject their victims with chemical , attempting to electrocute them , and placing one woman ’s head into a bag touch base to a gas pipework .
After they killed their victims , Buono and Bianchi abandon their body on hillsides across Los Angeles , sometimes sickeningly arranged in taunting poses that further dish to heighten the panic across the metropolis .
“ I ’ve been afraid since these strangling started , ” one woman severalise theWashington Postamid the killings . “ I never used to be afraid before . ”
Another woman ’s faithful call with the pair offers chilling insight into the killers ’ method .
As reported by theLakeland Ledger , in November 1977 , Catherine Lorre , the 29 - twelvemonth - sure-enough daughter of Hollywood icon Peter Lorre , was block off by Buono and Bianchi as she was walk down the street . They register her their badges and asked for recognition .
Bianchi would later confess that they see a picture of her father in her wallet and realized who she was . Seemingly undeterred , he order they still planned to lure Lorre into the car when she told them she had an appointment “ just down the mental block ” — sparing her living .
Lorre only learned that her face-off had been with the Hillside Stranglers after Bianchi cite it after his pinch .
Not long after they killed their last victim , Bianchi left Los Angeles for Bellingham , Washington , and the trail of the “ Hillside Strangler ” seemed to go cold .
If all had gone to program , Angelo Buono may have never been caught for his heinous crimes . But Kenneth Bianchi could n’t constrain himself in Washington — and he did n’t have his cousin to assist this time .
How Angelo Buono And Kenneth Bianchi Finally Faced Justice
Los Angeles Public LibraryAngelo Buono was convicted of nine murders in November 1983 .
Early in 1979 , Kenneth Bianchi was arrested for the murders of two local college students . Bianchi had lured the women to his home under the pretense of a housesitting job , killed them , and abandon their body in the Sir Henry Joseph Wood .
It was n’t long until it became clear to the authorization that Bianchi was also connect to the killing in Los Angeles . Eventually , he confessed and advert Buono as his confederate .
Angelo Buono was arrested on Oct. 22 , 1979 , just over two years after he and Bianchi began their killing fling .
Even still , according to theLos Angeles Times , Buono was closely permit off the sweetener . The district lawyer decided Bianchi ’s testimonial , which made up the bulk of the legal slip against him , was from an undependable source . Ronald M. George , the evaluator presiding over the case , stepped in and transfer the case , allow it to go forward .
Ultimately , “ Hillside Strangler ” Angelo Buono Jr. was convict of killing Judith Lynn Miller , Elissa Kastin , Jane Evelyn King , Dolores Cepeda , Sonja Johnson , Kristina Weckler , Lauren Rae Wagner , Kimberly Diane Martin , and Cindy Lee Hudspeth .
accord to theLos Angeles Times , during sentencing , George told the two killers that he believed that they were “ incapable of feel any remorse . ”
Buono was spared the expiry punishment , or else receiving liveliness immurement without parole . He died of a heart flak alone in his prison cell on Sept. 21 , 2002 , at the years of 67 .
Upon sense of hearing of Buono ’s death , the lead prosecutor on the case over 20 days prior said : “ Oh , good ! God works in mysterious way . The death penalty has last been allot by a high power than the county of Los Angeles . ”
After reading about Angelo Buono , one of the Hillside Stranglers , teach aboutRichard Ramirez , the “ Night Stalker ” killer who murdered at least 14 masses in eighties California . Then , acquire about another Hollywood killer , Harvey Glatman , who photographed his victim before he killed them .
