Suspects
Roger Hausmann
Roger Hausmann became a suspect in the case in August 2007after he told Fresno investigators that he killed prostitutes in the Los Angeles area. Sixty-five-year-old Roger Hausmann, was cleared of any involvement following a DNA sample which proved not to match DNA taken from The Grim Sleeper’s confirmed victims. Inglewood Detective Jeffrey Steinhoff. said that “…he made some incriminating statements to investigators in Fresno that led to the sample being taken.”
More about Roger Hausmann at LAWeekly
Roger Hausmann
30 Responses to “Suspects”
December 6th, 2008 at: 8:35 pm
Our of curiosity was there anything else besides ‘incriminating statements’ that made him a suspect for the case?
Owning a car similar to the one the witness saw?
A .25 caliber handgun?
And what are the odds that an error occured when checking the DNA evidence? Can we check his fingerprints against any sort of partial prints recovered from a victim or a bullet?
What’s the whole story of what made him a suspect and of what dismissed him? (posted 05 Dec 2008, 03:24)
January 25th, 2009 at: 2:01 pm
In response to D’s comment; it’s interesting that this killer has a single male victim. I wonder if it’s possible that at one point there were two, or maybe more, killers and one was killed for some reason? If there were indeed more than two killers, it could be an explanation (other than that Roger Hausmann in fact is not involved in any way) as to why his DNA was not a match.
February 25th, 2009 at: 10:20 pm
Has anyone tried to investigate the link between victims who were killed in this way before the Grimm Sleeper began his spree. You might find that a relative of a former victim might be responsible. A husband, boyfriend, or even a child. I think this person has a family, maybe recently divorced…thus his recent activity. He’s acting out a pattern of events that seems as though he has a certain link to the way he kills his victims. He doesn’t see them…he see’s someone he loves or cares deeply for…and he is freeing them every time he kills again. He misses the person that died first, but he’d rather see her dead than living the street life. As for the third victim…well…I think he was the only one who could identify the suspect and had knowledge of what he was doing…no witnesses!
February 26th, 2009 at: 3:14 am
NO, In this Case there is ONLY 1 Killer, You see the signs?!?!?!? Man driving around looking for his “victims” Him being alone you can see this by knowing “Why does he only chooses Prositutes as Victims?” Well I can tell you this, Because he is 1. by himself 2. Prositutes come to your door with no issue 3. possible drugging them for easy play (rape)
February 26th, 2009 at: 2:41 pm
In response to J I don’t believe the killing of the man was deliberate. It completely diverts from the killer’s MO at least from what I have read, could it be possible that the victim “knew” who was attacking him? The killer, fearing that that man would turn him in, killed him and just dumped him.
February 27th, 2009 at: 2:57 am
This makes no sense whatsoever, since the one surviving victim has identified him as a dark skinned black male. I really doubt that anyone would mistake Roger Hausmann for a black male, even in the dark. The victim said he was clean shaven and had a short afro. They are not listening if they think Hausmann could be the perpetrator.
February 27th, 2009 at: 9:35 am
There have been occasions where there are two or more serial killer teams. There have even been male/female teams. Also cult members similar to the Manson cult. But compared to other serial killers, if there were two or more killers involved, the killings would have had a higher frequency in time and occurence - more like two to three per week, and the killings would have been frenziend and escalated more in a dis-organized fashion. It appears to be one man, married for awhile, thats why he stopped for 10 years, then probably his wife left him. That is why he started again. He is much older and probably more slower and methodical than when he first started. Also, white male serial killers usually kill only whites - races usually kill within their own race. This is one African American man who is not too strong since he disliked strangling his victims and disliked any struggle with the women. A gun gave him his macho power to do as he desired since he lacked manly strength.
March 13th, 2009 at: 11:34 am
It’s obvious this person was incarcerated during his sleeping period. Most likely he was locked up for a completely unrelated crime not requiring the police to acquire his dna.
March 13th, 2009 at: 10:23 pm
why do most of the victims first names end with an ‘A’ , or is this strictly coincedences
March 14th, 2009 at: 3:47 am
Single male, most likely African American. Worked nights, someone who could blend into the area/hunting ground. May have a strong connection with church/religion. Maybe guilt over killing after the duty is done and providing passage home for lost soul buy dumping them close to churches. May be infected with some sort of STD, may not be full blown AIDS but could lead to that. Reason for abscense, taking care of a loved one such as a mother/sister/wife (who could have been infected w/HIV or died of AIDS related llness, also due to intravenus drug use). As for killing the male, more than likely a chance occurance, may have seen something, may have proposistioned the killer, wasn’t killed for the same reason. Did not look at the time line real close yet, did the victim that got away coincide with the 13 year break? Method of killing would suggest he does not know his victims well, 25 cal. weapon is probably more of a weapon of convienence than choice (I.E. original purpose for home defense/protection.) Pictures taking is the interesting thing, not really a collector of types but more likely to wants to record the pain his victims go through as a comparison to maybe what he or a loved one once endured… … More thoughts later.
March 14th, 2009 at: 4:09 am
Mis-spoke on the 13 year break, close to 4yr break 2 different times. Could be commitment to service, evangelical, prison? What’s the connection on the 14yr old, has to be something hard to be added with the rest of the list? Couldn’t shoot the young girl, realized what he had after he grabbed her but couldn’t let her walk away. In and out of foster care, runaway? Significant time between reported missing and body being found. Runaway? Staying with friends living on the streets, may have resulted in turn to prostitution, not a pro (wrong place at wrong time). Juveniles usually run in multples, may be someone out there who saw someone/something and afraid to come out… …
March 22nd, 2009 at: 4:07 am
alright did the investigators ever check any of the suspects background that would explain the 13 year gap between the kills. maybe he got locked up for something not so severe, and once he got back out of prison he just went back to doing what he does.
April 4th, 2009 at: 9:29 pm
Wildkyle321 in Comment #12: Every time there is a gap in a serial rape or murder, the very first thing the police always consider is that the suspect was locked up (somewhere, prison or psych hospital), or that the suspect was in a different location.
Jack in Comment # 8: The suspect possibly was locked up. BUT … he may have just been killing in a different location / State / Country. Recall that the sole survivor stated that the suspect had an verbal accent? Its also possible, just as with the recently captured BTK killer, that the suspect decided on his own not to kill.
Same for Anna in Comment # 7: The suspects absence over several years could be due to several reasons. A marriage may have kept him content for a few years… but serial killers have been captured who were married while they killed.
Bottom line: Nobody will understand the years of absence until the suspect is caught. The key word is ABSENCE. The lack of bodies in that area of L.A. does NOT mean he stopped killing. He may simply have been living elsewhere.
April 5th, 2009 at: 12:56 am
It would be helpful to have a bio on the suspects including birthdates.
Take the suspect Roger Hausmann. VERY interesting guy. The info I’ve read on him stated that he was “from Santa Rosa, CA.” One of the articles lists a portion of his arrest records. His criminal records date way back.
He is about the correct age to be a good suspect in a series of serial murders right there in Santa Rosa.
During the 1970’s, there were about nine young females who were abducted, raped, strangled, and dumped around the small town of Santa Rosa (about one hour North of San Francisco). The town back then was purely a small agricultural town with commuters back & forth from San Francisco. Its population at the time was probably around 50,000 or maybe less. The string of murders was never solved.
When did this guy leave Santa Rosa? Do the police in Fresno know of that series of unsolved murders that happened about the time he was living there?
April 7th, 2009 at: 9:08 am
Hausmann isn’t black. The sole survivor ID’s the perp as black. She also said he was ‘geeky looking’ (or similar) and that he wore wire rimmed glasses. Who wears wire rims? Not day laborers, not truck drivers, not repo guys like Hausmann (are those clear plastic?). He’s the antithesis of geeky. When I hear ‘wire rims’ and ‘geeky’, I think of a white collar worker (teacher?), or a church leader/authority figure/Sunday school teacher. Hausmann is a scumb bag alright, but I doubt he’s the GS. Would like to read more about what the sole survivor said about GS, and what ‘geeky’ means to her. How was he dressed?
April 7th, 2009 at: 9:22 am
Article in CNN about an FBI database linking serial killings and truckers (nationwide). We’ve commented here about how many of the victims were dumped relatively close to a major north/south freeway. But unless these victims were dumped at truckstops or cheap motels, I don’t see any connection. The alley used in the Ware dumping was so narrow. The setting feels ‘personal’, as if the perp knows the area well. And where did the perp get all those mattresses, blankets, etc. to cover his victims? I don’t recall seeing mattresses littering the alleys in the photos I’ve seen. So he drives a blue & white van AND an orange pinto? Did anyone in the church know of a member who owned a Pinto fitting that description?
April 7th, 2009 at: 7:16 pm
PR on Comment #15 : I failed to mention that I knew Hausmann was not GS simply because he is white.
I merely intended to point him out as a valid suspect, possibly not noticed by the Santa Rosa, CA, police in their 1970’s investigation of the serial murders in that town. If he was back visiting now & then, its possible that they never screened him as a suspect.
PR: In comment # 16: Nobody thinks GS drives an orange Pinto any longer. It could have even been a borrowed car and his in the first place. The van wasn’t his as it belonged to a “church.” I put quotes around “church” because there are plenty of people who just open a “church” as a means of making money without even being a really formally trained pastor. I’m not sure if the “church” which owned the van GS was linked to was a formally recognized “church” or just some guy who put a sign on the front of the building & began asking for “donations.”
April 11th, 2009 at: 5:45 am
Gary: Ah, got it. Yes Hausmann sounds like someone that should be of interest in that string of unsolved murders in Santa Rosa. As to the Pinto, I think the carefully styled and maintained interior fits with the superneat appearance of the suspect. The Pinto was linked to him by a few other witnesses as well. He may have borrowed it, true, but for the reason just stated, I don’t think so. Based on a comment or two that I read, a few people did seem to think we should be looking for an orange Pinto.
April 11th, 2009 at: 5:46 am
Typo: “…sounds like someone WHO should be of interest…” etc.
April 11th, 2009 at: 6:01 am
If the “church” were a day care center for displaced adults, that may explain how he had access to the blankets and old mattresses he used to cover his victims. Because the photos show alleys that are fairly sterile looking. Not a lot of junk strewn around. Or maybe he just drove around until he saw a stray mattress or blanket.
Back to the Pinto: From the way the lone survivor described the interior (LA Weekly article), it may have been a custom job.
She said the seats were white (leather?) with a diamond pattern. A custom shop may have done that work. The opportunity to explore that is probably lost, as businesses in that industry come and go.
April 11th, 2009 at: 10:52 am
Regarding the Pinto in comment #18 - Was it Definately a Pinto they saw or a car that LOOKED like a Pinto that they asumed to be a Pinto?
April 26th, 2009 at: 5:22 am
That number looks like a student ID number is there any Jr. colleges in the area where it was found.
April 26th, 2009 at: 7:17 am
Show the sole survivor high school year books covering the relevant five to six year period. If he went to school in that area, she will identify him.
April 26th, 2009 at: 11:09 pm
there was a mystery name scribbled on a piece of paper in the old case files, and i looked up that name and all possible addresses, then got directions to the survivor’s abduction location. all possible addresses for that name are within striking distance, shall we say, of where the sole survivor was abducted (91st and normandie). none, however, are within the one mile area that the profiler talked about. the closest address was about 5 miles away, or less than ten minutes by car. there is a halldale address (someone else already mentioned this address) that is right off of western. it’s a straight shot down western to 91st street, in other words, and would take about 10 minutes. another address is on alma, down by the naval port in long beach. some have speculated about the perp coming off a cruise ship. maybe it’s not a cruise ship. maybe he’s in the navy. another address for that name was in korea town, another in the jefferson(?) park area, etc. most are within a relatively short driving distance of the survivor’s abduction location (91st and normandie).
April 29th, 2009 at: 1:47 am
The most important details are the car’s lures:
The survivor said “An orange Ford Pinto with a white racing stripe on the hood.
The gear-shift handle was MEMORABLE, pimped out with a ping-pong-sized marble ball. The inside was all-white, with white diamond-patterned upholstery”
For more detail of the gear-shift handle : http://www.wholesale-glass-dealer.com/products/GearShiftKnob/GearShiftKnob.htm
- There were not many Ford Pinto with WHITE interior color.
Do many of us know someone who had a car: a Ford + all white inside + gear-shift handle like marble ball? That would have been “ MEMORABLE” (She said). Someone must REMEMBER!
April 30th, 2009 at: 5:04 pm
LOS ANGELES — Police believe a 72-year-old man charged with two cold-case murders is tied to two decades-old waves of Southern California serial killings and as many as 25 victims.
DNA matching former insurance adjuster John Floyd Thomas Jr. was found at five crime scenes spanning the killing-and-rape rampages in west Los Angeles in the 1970s and Claremont in the 1980s, said LAPD Robbery-Homicide Cold Case Detective Richard Bengston.
“When all is said and done, Mr. Thomas stands to be Los Angeles’ most prolific serial killer,” Bengston told the Los Angeles Times.
Police planned to reveal details of the case at a Thursday news conference.
In the first wave of killings in Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, a man police dubbed “The Westside Rapist” entered the homes of elderly women who lived alone, raped them and choked them until they passed out or died. The 17 who were killed were found with pillows or blankets over their faces.
A decade later and 40 miles to the east, five elderly women in Claremont were found raped and killed, also with blankets or pillows over their faces.
Despite some 20 survivors of similar attacks, detectives said they didn’t solve either set of cases nor connect the two. They blamed conflicting descriptions from victims, lack of communication between agencies and a past absence of DNA technology.
Thomas, who has twice been convicted of sexual assault, was arrested at his South Los Angeles apartment on March 31, authorities said. Soon after, he resigned from his job with the State Compensation Insurance Fund in Glendale, where he had worked since 1989.
He was charged April 2 with the murder of Ethel Sokoloff, 68, in 1972, and Elizabeth McKeown, 67, both in Los Angeles.
Thomas was being held in a county jail and could not be reached for comment. Officers reached by phone Thursday morning had no information on an attorney for Floyd.
Bengston said Thomas’ DNA also was connected to the scene of a 1975 Los Angeles murder, a 1976 Inglewood murder, and a Claremont killing in 1986.
Los Angeles police were still investigating at least a dozen other murders connected to an unidentified serial killer who has been dubbed the “Grim Sleeper.”
May 2nd, 2009 at: 5:55 am
John F. Thomas = Grim Sleeper to me… check out this map.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/04/detective-says-serial-killer-was-1970s-west-side-rapist-.html
May 11th, 2009 at: 10:41 am
It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the killer just stopped for those periods. We now have examples of killers who have done exactly that, notably the BTK killer who stopped for years and was only caught because he felt the need to continue bragging about it. Usually a ’sleep’ period for a serial killer means incarceration or some other event that keeps them from continuing but that’s no longer considered an absolute certainty.
July 2nd, 2009 at: 11:00 pm
it is simple to find out the grim sleepers identity find out who had acss to the blue white van at the time and talk to them or set up cameras at the scene where the bodies were found and if he kills again you could possibly get a positive identity
November 19th, 2009 at: 9:48 pm
Any chance that killer leaves DNA sample of other person behind? Picks a black male that knows has spotless record and will never be in the DNA system (just a crazy thought)? He would have to be very smart and very good to pull this off. He would have to be able to get fresh samples some how (work at the blood bank, or sperm bank). …OK…very thin…
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