Michelle McNamara: Citizen sleuth | Forensic Files

Every time I report for 48 hours, I'm struck by the large number of people in our audience who essentially play
detective as they're watching the show. They weigh all of the evidence. They look for clues. They ask all the right
questions. It's really like they're trying to solve the case. They're essentially citizen sleuths. And that's
who Michelle McNamera was. She was a wife to comedian Patton Oswalt and a mother to their young daughter. But she
also was a person who was very interested in true crimes and in trying to solve them. She was mom by day but
detective at night, a citizen sleuth. And Michelle started a blog where she wrote about true crime called True Crime
Diary. There was one case, one unsolved case that really fascinated her and consumed a lot of her time. And that was
a man who committed 50 rapes and 12 murders up and down California in the 70s and 80s. He was originally called
the East Area Rapist, original Nightstalker, Irons for short. Not exactly a memorable name. And when
Michelle started writing about him, she thought maybe one of the reasons that he
didn't get as much attention as perhaps he should was because of this name. So she renamed him. She called him the
Golden State Killer. She wrote about him on her blog. She wrote an article for a
magazine. And then she started writing a book. And Michelle would not only, you know, sit in her armchair and
investigate this crime. She called investigators. She traveled throughout California to walk in the killer's
footsteps. She talked to victims. She talked to families of victims. And that's really what motivated her was she
felt the pain of these families and these victims and what they had gone through. And she was determined to shed
light on this guy. In the middle of writing her book, Michelle passed away in the middle of the night. and she left
behind not only a husband and a young girl, her daughter, but also this meticulously researched body of work
that she had yet to finish. And her husband, Patton, was determined to finish it with the help of a couple of
her friends. He's determined to finish the book. One detective who has worked on this case since almost the very
beginning told me that it's people like Michelle, it's citizen sleuth, like the people who watch 48 hours who are going
to solve this case. And so maybe, just maybe, Michelle's book and this episode of 48 Hours will unmask this monster. I
hope you'll join us.

CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith discusses the active role that Michelle McNamara, a writer married to the comedian Patton Oswalt, took to investigate the Golden State Killer, and how it may just be the key to solving the 40-year-old case. Learn more about the investigation on an all-new "48 Hours" airing Saturday, April 22 at 10/9c on CBS.

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--- "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. For 27 seasons, "48 Hours" has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives. Check local listings for "48 Hours" broadcast times.

Brief Summary

Michelle McNamara's true crime passion led to her investigation of the Golden State Killer before her untimely death.

Key points

Citizen Sleuths. The audience of 48 Hours engages deeply, acting as detectives in their own right.
The Golden State Killer. Michelle McNamara renames the East Area Rapist to the Golden State Killer, drawing attention to his crimes.
Michelle's Legacy. After her passing, her husband Patton Oswalt vows to complete her unfinished work.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

She was mom by day but detective at night.

Describing Michelle McNamara's dual life.

0:28WatchApr 21, 2017

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