‘I'll Be Gone In The Dark’ Episode 3: Who is Paul Holes and why are fans calling him ‘true crime boyfriend’?
HBO's ‘I'll Be Gone In The Dark’ has set a new benchmark for documentaries. The six-part series is based on the book of the same name and explores writer Michelle McNamara's investigation into the dark world of a violent predator she dubbed the Golden State Killer. In the third episode ‘Rat in a Maze’, one of the biggest questions comes into play: How did the East Area Rapist become the Original Night Stalker and when was the connection established? Along with unraveling McNamara's personal life, the episode also introduces Paul Holes, Retired Chief of Forensics, Contra Costa County.
A cold-case investigator, he is best known for his contribution to solving the Golden State Killer case using DNA and genealogy technology. After being sworn in as an investigator for deputy sheriff in Martinez, California, in 1994, he caught sight of the East Area Rapist (EAR) and his interest in the case was ignited.
In the docuseries, Holes talks about how they first started talking about the case over phone calls. Holes confesses he was "very vague" in the beginning and opened up to her about gory details only after he realized she actually had an insight into the murders and knew about them. “She was very easygoing,” Holes recalls of McNamara’s interview style in a Rolling Stone interview. “I kind of have the same kind of thing, same skill set — because I was a military brat and constantly having to integrate with new kids as I was growing up, from all the moves. She was able to integrate with different people. And I think that benefited her tremendously.”
Holes also sheds light on how he was tensed when she wrote the article 'In The Footsteps of a Killer' for Los Angeles Magazine. Once he reached the end of it, she finally gained his trust as he realized she had written it without revealing any information that he gave to her. He also teamed up with genealogist and scientist Barbara Rae-Venter, who constructed a genetic profile and a family tree of the suspect that finally led them to Joseph James DeAngelo. In March 2018, Holes visited the Citrus Heights home of DeAngelo on his final day right before his retirement. The discarded DNA samples proved to be right and DeAngelo was later taken into custody by the Sacramento Police on April 24, 2018.
But, did you know Holes has never read her book? “I’m looking at the book right now sitting on my bookshelf, and I just can’t get the emotional courage to open that book and start reading it,” Holes said. “When she died, I lost somebody in my family. I can still hear her voice in my head.” What's more, he felt the same way about the HBO docuseries and it's not clear whether he has watched it.
However, fans can't stop obsessing over him, especially among Murderinos, fans of the 'My Favorite Murder' podcast, which started the #HotforHoles fanbase. "I’m sorry, could Paul Holes look more handsome in tonight’s episode of #IllBeGoneInTheDark he’s truly #beautyandbrains," one posted and another wrote, "I think our true crime boyfriend Paul Holes is in this episode. #IllBeGoneInTheDark."
One excited fan said, "Oh yay, we get Paul Holes in this episode! #IllBeGoneInTheDark." Another woman even went on to propose him: "Update: bf won’t watch #IllBeGoneInTheDark with me until I stop chanting #hotforholes. Marry me, Paul Holes." Well, is Paul Holes listening (or reading)? *Wink* *Wink*! As more episodes roll out, we will finally find out how Holes actually zeroed down to DeAngelo. New episodes of HBO's ‘I'll Be Gone In The Dark’ are all set to premiere on Sundays at 10 pm ET on HBO.