WHO IS HE: The life and history Joseph DeAngelo, the alleged Golden State Killer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KGO) -- The last time we saw Joseph DeAngelo was in a Sacramento courtroom, in a barred holding cage. The alleged "Golden State Killer" is charged with 12 counts of murder in four counties. He's yet to enter a plea, but some people have already made up their minds.

And, they're upset the suspect may have been living in Citrus Heights, one of the very communities where the GSK left his mark.

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"I really had somehow rationalized he was dead so to find out he's been living and breathing in Citrus Heights, to find out he had a wife and children," said neighbor Jennifer Carole, holding back her emotion.

DeAngelo married Sharon Huddle in 1973. They have three daughters. Some reports say they are separated.

Last year, DeAngelo retired from Save Mart, where he worked as a truck mechanic for 27 years.

Gary Griffin was his friend and coworker. The two often had lunch together. "I can't look at him in court because I picture the guy that I was standing next to at work," he said. "He was very afraid of being in trouble. He never called in sick and he was proud of that."

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DeAngelo often ate at Charlie's Cafe in Citrus Heights. He was even there a week before his arrest.

"The second time I served him his tuna salad, he threw the cheese on the table," said Charlie's Cafe owner Charlene Carte. "And I said, 'What's wrong?' He's like, 'What are you trying to do, kill me? I can't eat cheese. I told you before.'"

People living near DeAngelo describe a complicated man.

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"He was always friendly to all the neighbors and stuff," said neighbor Jim Chappell. "We called him the yeller but come to find out he was a little hard of hearing."

"He used to have these tantrums out in the front," said Natalia Bedes-Correnti, another neighbor. "He would yell so loud. He was just an odd guy. Kind of kept to himself but had a temper."

DeAngelo went to middle school in Rancho Cordova, then Folsom High. He graduated with a degree in criminal justice from Cal State Sacramento. He then joined the Navy before getting a job as a cop.

"He is an ex-officer in two different agencies, one in the Exeter Police Department," said Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones.

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His hiring even made the paper. So did his firing from the next police job in Auburn.

DeAngelo was charged with stealing a hammer and dog repellent from a drug store. Now, there is speculation he may have been a commuter criminal -- living in Auburn and allegedly driving to the Bay Area to stalk his victims.

"It's very possible he was committing the crimes during the time he was employed as a police officer and obviously we'll look into whether it was on the job,"

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