He gained sleuthing fame for helping to track down the suspected “Golden State Killer,” and now Paul Holes is in the spotlight for another reason: his chiseled good looks and sexy stare.
In the weeks since his key role in the arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo was publicly unveiled, Holes has become the Ryan Gosling of homicide detectives, followed by a passionate and adoring fan base that has swooned over him with the hashtag #HotforHoles.
Holes, who recently signed up to Twitter and quickly drew more than 12,000 followers, said in an interview he initially was taken aback by all the attention.
“It’s a bizarre situation to be in…I get the tweets at me, with the hearts and stuff. It’s flattering, it’s fun. I have no problem with it all,” Holes said. Of course, he added with a chuckle, “my wife) is on Twitter every night looking at what’s being said.”
His fans have come up with some creative tributes: Paul Holes memes and GIFs. Paul Holes collages. Paul Holes wallpaper. Paul Holes T-shirts. One woman petitioned People Magazine to name Holes the sexiest man alive in 2018.
“A lot of it’s very creative, I have to admit,” he said.
When asked who he wanted to play him if the case ever goes Hollywood, the first name Holes came up with after a brief pause was Josh Duhamel. Asked whether he thought his handsome mug was at the root of his newfound internet fame, Holes played modest.
“I think it’s probably more to do the mystique of somebody involved with this case,” he said. “It just happened that there was this high-profile book by Michelle McNamara that everyone was reading, and several shows on this case that had literally just aired when we arrested (DeAngelo).”
Holes split his career between the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s and District Attorney’s offices, where he developed a special passion for investigating serial killers and long-unsolved cases. Last December, his investigative work helped police arrest a suspect in the 1980 killing of 14-year-old Suzanne Bombardier in Antioch.
But he’s probably best known for his dogged attempt to find the Golden State Killer, who is suspected of committing 12 homicides, 45 rapes and more than 100 residential burglaries between 1976 and 1986 all over California. Holes strung together a series of unsolved rapes committed by the killer, used a public domain ancestry website to find his possible relatives and worked backwards from there.
Weeks before DeAngelo was arrested, Holes showed up to his Citrus Heights home, and considered interviewing him, then thought twice about that and ended up driving away. He retired the same day.
For Holes, the timing of his retirement couldn’t have been better. He’s transitioning to the role of media contributor, hiring an agent and starting his own media consultancy company.
“Now all of a sudden I have to switch gears and become this media persona, and get that brand out there,” he said. “I haven’t mentally done that yet all the way, I don’t think.”
Dear @people, I'm gonna keep bugging you til it happens- @PaulHoles is sexist man alive 2018.
Signed,
Every woman in America#HotforHoles— Angela Kilzer (@misskilzer) May 9, 2018
I had a dream last night that @PaulHoles was investigating my murder, and I was very confident he would bring me justice #hotforholes
— Karissa Dowlan (@karissadowlan) May 15, 2018
We could also sell HotForHoles throw pillows? pic.twitter.com/fmH2nX0oEh
— Allie H (@alliesatwar) May 17, 2018
#IBGITD book club went hard tonight #hotforholes #GSK @KarenKilgariff @StevenRayMorris pic.twitter.com/utdVTCS69c
— Courtney Shields (@courtshields) May 15, 2018
Gunning for the elusive Blue Check Mark. Top of the hill on a trail run as I try to get back in shape after the last few weeks. #It_is_me pic.twitter.com/4BAqY8V0qn
— Paul Holes (@PaulHoles) May 14, 2018