Investigator Paul Holes Became a Sex Symbol After Helping Solve the Golden State Killer Case
Updated Oct. 15 2019, 12:08 a.m. ET
True crime fans already know the man at the center of Oxygen’s new series, The DNA of Murder.
Not only is Paul Holes a former cold-case investigator for the Contra Costa County DA, but he’s also a bonafide celebrity among "murderinos" — a term used to describe listeners of the wildly popular podcast My Favorite Murder, whose hosts happen to be huge fans of the author.
On The DNA of Murder, the California resident "dives into cold cases to analyze the violent interaction between the offender and the victim, exploring not only the physical DNA left behind but the emotional 'DNA' as well." Here’s what you should know about Paul before tuning in to his show.
Paul Holes helped catch the man believed to be the Golden State Killer.
The investigator was instrumental in the April 2018 arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer suspected of 13 murders, over 50 rapes, and more than 100 burglaries committed between the years 1974 and 1986.
The capture came 24 years after Paul reignited interest in the case following the discovery of old files marked "EAR" for East Area Rapist (the perpetrator's other names include the Original Night Stalker and the Visalia Ransacker).
He pursued hundreds of leads over the next two decades and spent his last day on the job sitting outside DeAngelo’s home after the 72-year-old became a person of interest thanks to the public genealogy site GEDMatch. The database found a pool of people possibly linked to the killer through DNA markers left at the crime scenes.
A month into his retirement, Paul contributed to DeAngelo’s arrest warrant and was able to bring closure to some of the victims and their families. "To me, that’s the ultimate reward," he explained to The Mercury News last year. "To make these victims feel safe and to get this guy who is the epitome of evil and end his life as he knows it."
Paul Holes currently hosts a podcast called The Murder Squad.
After befriending My Favorite Murder hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark, the women offered Paul his own podcast on their Exactly Right network.
The Murder Squad, which also features investigative journalist Billy Jensen, discusses unsolved homicides, unidentified remains, and missing persons cases, as well as explores new evidence. "We want to pick cases that have actionable items that people can help solve," Billy previously told Oxygen.com about the project.
"True crime fans or murderinos or whatever you want to call them, they want to look into these things and they want to just help start solving crimes as opposed to just sitting on the sidelines."
Paul added, "Reaching out to the public is something law enforcement always does. You’ll say, 'Hey, we need your help. Here’s the wanted poster.' Now, we’re doing it in a different way."
Paul and Billy with the hosts of 'My Favorite Murder,' Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff.
Sorry, ladies, but Paul Holes already has a wife.
The law enforcement consultant’s police work isn’t the only reason he gained a cult following. The hashtag #HotforHoles went viral after Paul’s numerous media appearances regarding the Golden State Killer case.
"It’s a bizarre situation to be in," he admitted of the attention surrounding his looks. "I get the tweets at me, with the hearts and stuff. It’s flattering, it’s fun. I have no problem with it all."
But there’s at least one person constantly monitoring the comments. "My wife is on Twitter every night looking at what’s being said," Paul shared. We don’t blame her!
Watch The DNA of Murder Saturdays at 7 p.m. ET on Oxygen.
