A convicted serial rapist, who has reportedly admitted to assaulting and raping around 40 women, is being released in Los Angeles County despite opposition from local prosecutors.
Christopher Hubbart, 63, was previously convicted in 1973, 1983, and 1990 for a string of rapes and sexual assaults in both LA and Santa Clara counties.
Known as the “pillowcase rapist” for his method of muffling victims’ screams with a pillowcase, Hubbart has spent nearly 50 years in and out of state mental hospitals and prisons due to legal disputes over his convictions.
In 2014, Hubbart was released to LA County’s Antelope Valley, the same area where he is now expected to reside following his conditional release granted by a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge in March 2023. A court has now ruled that LA County will be his permanent home.
LA County District Attorney George Gascón criticized the decision, expressing his disapproval on Wednesday.
“Continuing to release sexually violent predators into underserved communities like the Antelope Valley is both irresponsible and unjust,” Gascón said, promising to hold community hearings where residents could voice their concerns. He also noted that this was the third time in three years that outside courts have relocated violent offenders to the area, specifically the Antelope Valley.
LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger echoed the prosecutor’s concerns, urging residents to speak out and demanding that authorities find a different location for Hubbart. “We cannot allow our rural communities in the Antelope Valley to be magnets for housing sexually violent predators. That’s simply unacceptable,” Barger stated.
Although Hubbart was born and raised in LA County and has lived in various parts of California, local authorities maintain that he has no current ties to the area.
Last Release and Move to LA County
On the afternoon of July 9, 2014, Christopher Hubbart was dropped off at a residence near Palmdale, sparking concern from local residents, including a group called the Ladies of Lake LA. Cheryl Holbrook, a member of the group and a survivor herself, expressed her fear about his presence.
“It terrifies me,” Holbrook said. “When we saw him coming down the road, I literally started shaking. I wanted to cry. He’s going to reoffend, he’s going to hurt someone again, and he’s going to take a life.”
As part of his release conditions, Hubbart was required to continue treatment, observe a curfew, undergo random searches, and wear a GPS ankle bracelet. However, a year later, law enforcement accused him of violating these terms by allowing the battery on his ankle monitor to run low.
Despite this, Santa Clara County Judge Richard Loftus ruled that Hubbart was not “a danger to the health and safety of others” and noted there had been no further battery issues or breaches of his release terms.
By 2017, Hubbart was back in a state mental hospital after violating the conditions of his release. LA County District Attorney George Gascón announced on Wednesday that Hubbart would again be released to LA County, following a proposal by the California Department of State Hospitals to house him in a remote area near Devil’s Punchbowl, a state park 16 miles from Palmdale.
A hearing to determine his placement is scheduled for October 1 at the Hollywood Courthouse.
