The man who California authorities recently linked to the infamous unsolved Golden State Killer case was charged with an additional 4 counts of murder Thursday for a total of 12.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., 72, is alleged to have killed Cheri Domingo and Gregory Sanchez on Oct. 27, 1981, and Drs. Debra Manning and Robert Offerman on Dec. 30, 1979, all in Santa Barbara County.

In a stunning development almost 40 years after the case went cold, DeAngelo was taken into custody on April 24 when prosecutors used advanced forensic DNA technology and genealogical information posted to a public website by a distant relative to identify him.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, the Golden State Killer is thought to be responsible for a dozen murders and 50 rapes, all crimes committed across 10 CA counties in the decade between 1976 and 1986. He also burglarized at least 100 residences.

Californians lived in fear that the Golden State Killer—also called the Cordova Cat Burglar, the Visalia Ransacker, the East Area Rapist, and the Original Night Stalker—was still out there all these years later.

The accused serial killer worked as a police officer from 1973 to 1979 until he was terminated for allegedly stealing “a hammer and a can of dog repellent.”

DeAngelo has now been charged with all the murders that investigators believe were committed by the Golden State Killer. District attorneys from Sacramento, Orange, and Ventura counties—where the other murder charges were brought—will meet with the Santa Barbara County DA Friday to discuss trial strategy.

[Feature image: Joseph DeAngelo/Rich Pedroncelli for Associated Press]