One of the notorious “Hillside Stranglers” was recently considered for potential parole in Washington state, with many asking how someone convicted of such heinous crimes could be considered for release.

“When people hear that Kenneth Bianchi, one of the men known as the Hillside Stranglers, is up for parole again, it brings back fear and sadness for the families of the victims,” retired FBI special agent Jason Pack tells Fox News Digital.

“These families lost daughters, sisters, and friends in some of the most brutal and cold-hearted crimes this country has seen. For them, this hearing isn’t just a legal step. It forces them to relive painful memories they’ve carried for decades.”

Anthony D’Amato, formerly known as Kenneth Bianchi, is one of the infamous “Hillside Stranglers,” responsible for a series of murders involving women and girls during the late 1970s, including two killings in Washington.

Hillside Strangler Kenneth Bianchi testifies in a courtroom against his cousin and accomplice Angelo Buono. (Getty Images)

Realistically, Pack said Bianchi could remain incarcerated well into old age – likely until death.

Despite disturbing headlines, parole does not guarantee release, Pack said, adding that Bianchi still faces serious legal roadblocks.

“At the end of the day, the families of the victims deserve peace. The community deserves to feel safe. And the justice system has a responsibility to make sure a man who caused so much harm remains where he belongs – behind bars,” Pack said. 

After committing a series of violent crimes, including the sexual assault and murder of women in the Los Angeles area, D’Amato was employed as a security guard in Bellingham in January 1979. During his time there, he persuaded two Western Washington University students, Karen Mandic and Diane Wilder, to accompany him to a residence, where he subsequently strangled them. These murders prompted law enforcement to link D’Amato to approximately 10 similar cases in California.

Kenneth Bianchi gets out of a sheriff’s car on arrival at Criminal Courts Building in Los Angeles on Oct. 22, 1979, where he arrived for arraignment on charges that he murdered five women in the Los Angeles area in late1977 and early 1978. (Getty Images)

To avoid a death sentence, D’Amato pleaded guilty in Washington and received two consecutive life sentences without parole.

During his incarceration, D’Amato has made repeated legal attempts to overturn his Washington convictions, arguing, among other things, that his confession was obtained under hypnosis. He has consistently proclaimed his innocence.

Pack said that during the time of Bianchi’s conviction, California law allowed for periodic parole hearings, even for convicted murderers. That law remains applicable to those sentenced under it.

D’Amato’s parole requests have been denied on multiple occasions in recent years in both Washington state and California. 

D’Amato, now 74 and incarcerated at Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, was originally scheduled for a parole hearing in May 2025, which was later delayed. The board is expected to publish its decision by July 23. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com