I love true crime, but am not in that class of weirdos, at least not that weird, who are conspiracy theorists and like activists, harassing people.
don't really watch a lot of docs, because they tend to be low brow, low info, cheap to produce, whatever, but this one was several cuts above that, while still managing to remind me of why I don't watch many. Some of that is just too much focus on emotional aspects and victims. I would rather just read a 134 page document outlying the facts, rather than all the interviews and emotional reactions, not that I deny them or their importance, just does it need to be filmed?
for some people, that is kind of the draw about these docs. Anyway, fascinating case and well done documentary. Classic, very typical organized offender, high intelligence, but underachiever, loner, elaborate fantasies, escalation of behavior, would have for sure kept going. Criss crossed districts and areas to avoid detection. much like the Golden State killer, who prowled and broke into homes in Visalia, before escalating to rape/home invasion/torture and murder. They almost without exception work and kill alone.
Of course the police mostly botched those too, and Vallejo, is a city of like 150k, isn't going to be great at any kind of investigation like that, a lot of the the cops are all hometown guys, with light education, who want a steady job. And they don't get enough practice on complex cases, so they are going to be lacking on something like this.
but yes, major mistakes all around. FBI embarrassed themselves. Didn't like the way the doc hinted at kind of a conspiracy, and left it unresolved, or any credibility to the idea that the offender didn't act alone. There was a lot I looked up myself that the doc left out. There was recordings of whisphered conversations, the blow up doll, and other evidence that pointed that he was alone and just trying to create this image, like a lot of killers do, because they are so insecure, of a grandiose, hyper competent conspiracy. Didn't explain some basic stuff, that leads to speculation. SHES IN ON IT! It was the EX! stupid shyt.
it's also an argument from authority which in the offenders mind takes away his guilt for rape. I appreciate the kind of new thoughts on NOT fetishizing serial killers and rapists, but sometimes it means they don't explain at all, how something like this happens, or what kind of person they are, which seems like a blind spot in a documentary.