“Hillside Strangler” to plead for possible parole

News

Kenneth Bianchi, confessed killer of five in the notorious Hillside Strangler case, confers with his attorney, Al Simon, during an appearance in a pretrial hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, July 6, 1981. Bianchi’s testimony sparked speculation that charges against Angelo Buono, Bianchi’s cousin, may have to be dropped. (AP Photo/Pool) Photo: Associated Press

Editor’s note: Details about D’Amato’s time in Bellingham has been updated.

BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A notorious serial killer that took the lives of two women in Bellingham will soon plead his case before a parole board.

The Seattle Times reports that Anthony D’Amato, formerly known as Kenneth Bianchi, has a parole hearing scheduled for Wednesday, June 25.

The 74-year-old, dubbed the “Hillside Strangler,” has been in prison since the late 70’s for killing and torturing a dozen women in California and Washington.

Those included Karen Mandic and Diane Wilder, two Western Washington University students who were killed while D’Amato was working as a security guard in Bellingham.

His original life imprisonment sentence was changed in accordance with state law in 1990, but he isn’t due to be released from prison until 2065.

If the parole board rejects his appeal, it’s possible that additional time could be added to his sentence.

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