For Tony Reid, this case began as a claim of innocence in the murder of Donna Jo Richmond in 1975. While the errors in the original investigation and a flawed trial resulted in a guilty verdict, the reassessment confirmed that the defendant was framed but the question became: by whom? Working with a new team of investigators, which included two of the original detectives, the probe uncovered a startling new possibility: Was the real culprit a serial offender? Turning to the public for information, Mr. Reid created the 12/26/75 podcast. Based on primary evidence and new interviews surrounding the murder of Donna Jo on that date in Exeter, California, the team re-examined every possibility. The investigators soon found something more than a terribly failed verdict. They discovered connections to the unsolved murders of Jennifer Armour and Claude Snelling—and links to The East Area Rapist. They uncovered shocking corruption by the original lead investigator who illegally destroyed trial evidence and looked into the unexplained death of the original defense attorney. This pursuit led them right back to Exeter, where a new suspect in these murders emerged: Joseph DeAngelo, who was then a full-time sergeant with the local police department, the officer in charge of violent crimes and burglary investigations. This book is more than an adaptation of the 12/26/75 podcast. It shares new insight formed during the investigation and provides a first-hand look at the Tulare crimes, as well as exposing the faulty evidence used to obtain and maintain the false conviction. More than anything else, 12/26/75 demonstrates the enormous consequences of letting a serial killer go free, made worse when combined with the painful mistakes, in-fighting, and finger-pointing by certain jurisdictions. The catastrophic results are undeniable. Now that the mystery of how it all unfolded is revealed, we can also begin to examine the reforms necessary to prevent this tragedy from happening again. 12/26/75: Twelve Twenty-Six Seventy-Five by Tony Reid is a non-fiction true crime novel surrounding the 1975 murder of Donna Jo Richmond and the man who was convicted of the crime, Oscar Clifton. Clifton is no longer alive but the quest to clear his name and find the real killer of 14-year-old Donna remains. Despite nearly identical 'calling cards' left at the scene of the crime and a timeline that makes Clifton the perpetrator virtually impossible, Clifton was convicted of Donna's rape and murder. He was eventually retried, only to be convicted again. Since then, amateur sleuths who frequently have more success in solving crimes than those paid to do so have been tuning into Reid's podcast and carrying on the search to clear Clifton's name and finally get justice for Donna Jo Richmond and another victim with the same hallmarks of murder, Jennifer Armour. Tony Reid paints a fascinating picture of horrific corruption in 12/26/75: Twelve Twenty-Six Seventy-Five . In a day and age where technology mostly outpaces the cunning of a murderer, it is difficult to imagine a time when a dependence on DNA simply did not exist and we were forced to rely on detectives for answers. Namely, we placed our faith in law enforcement and presumed they were all good. Unfortunately, that is not the case and Oscar Clifton was incarcerated as a result. Reid makes a compelling case in which a dirty cop named Joseph James DeAngelo, who has been convicted of over 50 rapes and over a dozen murders, planted evidence in an investigation he himself led that framed Clifton. Having lived in San Ramon, California, I am somewhat familiar with the notorious Golden State Killer. That said, 12/26/75 is the first book I've read about this case and the first I've heard of Donna Jo Richmond. Reid's writing is excellent and of a quality readers will expect from a podcast journalist. There is zero question whatsoever that a reader can finish the novel without this opinion: Oscar Clifton did not kill Donna Jo Richmond. Very highly recommended." "Overwhelming evidence of Clifton's innocence" - Our Valley Voice, January 6, 2023 " The book is well written, the pace is fast, and it details everything. That is both its strength and its curse. Reid leaves nothing out and details how he got to his conclusions. " - Defrosting Cold Cases , Alice De Sturler