A notorious California serial sex offender nicknamed “The Pillowcase Rapist” is set to be released despite opposition from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, which jailed him years ago.
Christopher Hubbard, 63, who bragged about raping as many as 40 women going back to the 1970s, has been recommended for release by a Santa Clara judge and has a hearing scheduled for next month to determine where he will live from now on, prosecutors said this week.
The decision, which places a dangerous felon within 40 miles of the city where he once roamed, was angered by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who called it “irresponsible and unjust.”
“The repeated placement of these individuals in the same communities shows a clear disregard for the safety and well-being of residents.” Gascón said in a statement this week..
“Our deputy district attorneys continue to oppose Mr. Hubbert's placement in the Antelope Valley,” he said. “We must demand more from our justice system and ensure decisions are made in the best interest of the community while exploring alternative sites for these placements.”
Hubbard earned the unpleasant nickname because of his habit of covering his victims' heads with a pillowcase during attacks. The Lost Angels Times.
According to the media, he admitted to a total of 44 sex offences over a period of 18 years.
The sex offender was first arrested in 1972 after breaking into the homes of 10 women and was charged with rape, sexual intercourse and attempted rape; he pleaded guilty and was sent to a psychiatric hospital.
He was released in 1979 and moved to the Bay Area, where he was arrested again two years later and convicted on new charges of rape and larceny stemming from a new series of sexual assaults.
Hubbard was released again after serving about eight years, but was convicted again in 1990 and sent back to prison, serving another 10 years, Gascón said.
After his release in 2000, he was held in a state hospital as a sexually violent offender.
Hubbard was eventually released again under supervision, but was returned to the state hospital in 2014 after violating the terms. A Santa Clara judge then granted him conditional release in March 2023.
A public hearing on October 1 will decide where the former inmate will live upon his release, but wary residents and politicians are expected to raise concerns about the decision.
“While I understand that the state conducts comprehensive studies and evaluations before proposing a site, there's no substitute for the realistic perspective that only local residents can provide,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Katherine Berger, who represents the area where Hubbert could be located.
“I want to ensure that voters are kept informed about this process and have ample opportunity to have a say in the decision,” Berger said in a statement.
