Michelle McNamara

Date of Birth: April 14, 1970

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Date of Death: April 21, 2016

Biography

Michelle McNamara was an American writer and crime blogger, best known for her book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,” which chronicles her investigation into the Golden State Killer. Born on April 14, 1970, in Oak Park, Illinois, she developed an early interest in true crime, inspired in part by an unsolved murder in her neighborhood. McNamara attended the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English, and later obtained a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Minnesota. In 2006, McNamara launched her own website, TrueCrimeDiary, where she wrote about unsolved crimes, both historical and contemporary. Her meticulous research and compelling storytelling quickly gained a dedicated following. Her dedication to solving cold cases led her to focus on the Golden State Killer, a serial offender responsible for numerous rapes and murders in California during the 1970s and 1980s. McNamara’s relentless pursuit of justice for the victims resulted in the posthumous publication of her book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” in 2018, which became a New York Times bestseller and was later adapted into an HBO documentary series. Tragically, McNamara passed away suddenly on April 21, 2016, at the age of 46. Her work has left a lasting impact on the true crime community and has inspired a renewed interest in cold case investigations.

5 Interesting Facts about Michelle McNamara

1. Michelle McNamara coined the term “Golden State Killer” for the serial offender she was investigating.

2. Her book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” was completed posthumously by her husband, Patton Oswalt, along with investigative journalists Paul Haynes and Billy Jensen.

3. McNamara’s work on the Golden State Killer case significantly contributed to the eventual arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo in 2018.

4. She was married to comedian and actor Patton Oswalt, and her unexpected death was due to the combined effects of multiple undiagnosed health conditions and prescription medications.

5. McNamara’s blog, TrueCrimeDiary, was a pioneer in the true crime blogging community, influencing many other writers and investigators.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Michelle McNamara

1. “The act of writing is the act of discovering what you believe.”

2. “I was writing about what I was interested in, which was truly the mystery of these unsolved crimes.”

3. “It’s chaos, be kind.”

4. “What drives me is the hunt and the thrill of the chase.”

5. “I don’t care how the truth gets out. I just want it to get out.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

The highest net worth achieved by Michelle McNamara is estimated to have been around $1.5 million, largely due to the success of her book “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” and its subsequent adaptations.