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Once Upon A Crime | True Crime

The Trailside Killer, Part 3

Once Upon A Crime | True Crime

Esther Ludlow

True Crime, Crime, Truecrime, Criminology, History, Criminals

4.65K Ratings

🗓️ 24 May 2021

⏱️ 112 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This is a double episode to conclude the month-long miniseries where I detail the case of serial killer David Carpenter, known as “The Trailside Killer”. Carpenter stalked and killed men and women on the hiking trails of Marin County, San Francisco and Santa Cruz. Other suspected victims would disappear from San Jose and Daly City, California. 

Resources:

The Sleeping Lady: The Trailside Murders Above the Golden Gate by Robert Graysmith, Penguin Books, (1990)

People v. Carpenter, Supreme Court of California, Nov 29, 1999. 

“The Frightening Case of the Trailside Killer”, Strange Outdoors, November 27, 2020. 

“DNA ties Trailside Killer to ‘79 SF Slaying”, Jaxon Van Derbeken, San Francisco Chronicle, Feb 24, 2010. 

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This podcast details true crime cases. It contains adult themes and may contain descriptions of violence. It is not intended for children.

0:10.0

Listen or discretion is advised.

0:13.0

Thank you for joining me for today's episode of Once Upon a Crime.

0:26.0

This is the last part of a three-part miniseries detailing the case of a serial killer

0:31.0

who terrorized Northern California in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

0:36.3

Because the murders occurred on hiking trails in state parks, national forests and coastal areas,

0:41.4

he became known as the Trailside Killer.

0:44.5

This week I'll continue the story where I left off in episode 205.

0:48.9

We learned last time that over a period of just over one year in 1979 to 1980, three women were found murdered

0:55.8

on Mount Tamilpius, a popular hiking spot located in Marin County, California.

1:01.0

Investigators began to suspect that the murders may have been committed by the same

1:04.6

individual and they were dealing with the serial killer.

1:08.5

As more resources were allotted to patrolling Mount Tam for the killer, he realized he would have to stock his next victims in a different

1:15.2

location or risk being caught. He next focused his attention on Marin County Seashore and then

1:21.7

further south to Santa Cruz County where he continued

1:24.9

his brazen daytime attacks on unsuspecting hikers. This is where I'll pick up the

1:29.7

story. I'll end this episode and the series by detailing how his bold actions led to his

1:35.6

identification and finally brought him to justice. But first a note before we

1:40.8

begin. Every once in a while I do an ultra deep dive into a case and

1:45.0

research it so thoroughly that I can share the case in detail with you without having

1:49.3

to write out my usual script. So I'll be presenting this last part of the series in a more casual

1:55.0

style while still providing the complete story. You may remember that I presented the

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