Wow. That is absolutely terrifying.

This is a creepy and terrifying story- no doubt. But something has become kind of sensationalist and off-putting in your writing of late. I have followed your crime reporting across your myriad blogs and always enjoyed and appreciated your reportage. But are you truly advocating that women of Sonoma County should not leave their houses alone? Granted care should be taken, as has sadly become the case no matter where one lives anymore. But advocating remaining behind closed doors, unless with others, seems a bit draconian and very much alarmist. And not the way ordinary citizens should be advised to live. Sorry, just my .02

@Mordy

Sensationalist? If anything I think the blog has toned it way down in the past few weeks, more fact based and less personality driven. Not sure why, though.

NOTE FROM STEVE: I think you guys just canceled each other out. There's no rhyme or reason to what either of you have perceived as a change -- I have made an effort, however, to up my number of posts per day. This leads to the illusion that I'm posting less in-depth stuff, or not as often pursuing personally-charged narratives. The difference from what I did in the past is this -- I used to ONLY post when I had something super in-depth to say. I didn't bother with the usual blogger's "hey look at this" approach. I do that now, sometimes. I'm basically writing a mix of summaries and in-depth pieces.

Yeah, i guess we kind of did cancel each other out, though that wouldn't necessarily mean both of us are wrong :)

For this story i stand by my assertion that it is a tad sensationalist to warn all females to stay in their house or venture out only in company of others if you live in Sonoma County. Sounds very Bushian. We can't live in fear. But if facts don't support my contention that other posts aren't similarly alarmist or off-putting then i stand corrected.

Good job on the increased posts. Even if necessarily less in-depth i do like being made aware of more stories that you find worthy to report on. Often it is the only way i hear of them.

Thanks.

Considering that a "Michael Meyers" mask is actually a Captain Kirk mask turned inside out and sprayed gray, this is creepy on several different levels.

I think Steve's comment to "not go out" isn't really meant to be taken literally. Sort of like me telling others to "stay off the road" when my 15 yr old is driving. I could be wrong, however.

@soobs-
I suppose he could mean anything, but it would otherwise seem pretty straight up that when someone says "If you're a woman and you live in the area, don't go out alone any time soon." in the context of a story about a rape that it would mean just that. And i think that is kind of a dangerous message to send.

Mordy - you could be right. I've been reading him a long time, and I think I have a handle on his sense of humor and writing, but I could be wrong.

Mordy-

Why is it a "dangerous message" to suggest that women in a certain area should take a bit more care when a violent rapist is on the loose? Seems to me to be prudent advice; if an armed rapist were loose in my neighborhood, you can bet I would be even more observant than usual about my surroundings. I don't read that Steve was advocating living a life of fear, just perhaps to be respectful of a current and obvious threat.