'Pillowcase rapist' Christopher Hubbart to be released near Palmdale

Christopher Hubbart

Christopher Hubbart, known as the "Pillowcase rapist," came one step closer to being released today when a San Jose judge approved his new housing location. 

The serial rapist will live on the 20300 block of East Avenue R in Antelope Valley, California, according to KTLA. The area is about 20 miles from Palmdale.

The last two times Hubbart was released from prison, he reoffended.

The 63-year old's crimes began with unlawful entries when he was a teenager. By the time he was 21, he had sexually assaulted 26 women in Los Angeles and San Bernandino counties. Hubbart was sentenced to 6 1/2 years in a state hospital, and was released in 1979. Hubbart was dubbed the "Pillowcase rapist" because he placed a pillowcase over his victims heads to stifle their screams.

Upon his 1979 release, he moved to the San Francisco Bay area, and sexually assaulted 12 women in that region. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 1982, but released on parole after serving only 8 years.

Hubbart again reoffended in 1990, and was declared a "sexually violent predator" by the Los Angeles Country District Attorney's office in 1996. A press release from the DA's office also shows that Hubbart was paroled for two months in 1993, but returned to state custody.

Instead of Antelope Valley, Hubbart was initially supposed to be released to a home in Lake Los Angeles, which is also near Palmdale. KTLA reports that the homeowner "withdrew the property from consideration" after community members and local politicians protested.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey has urged California legislators to support an amendment that would allow "counties where sexually violent predators may be housed the opportunity to actively participate in conditional release hearings."

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich tweeted that Hubbart should spend the rest of his life in prison.

Twitter @MikeAntonovich

No release date has been scheduled for Hubbart.