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Joseph Naso returns to the headlines as Death Row Confidential: Secrets of a Serial Killer pulls fresh threads from a case that once seemed closed. The former freelance photographer was convicted in Marin County for four murders tied to a double-initial naming pattern. New claims from inside prison add more alleged victims to the story.
The new crime documentary series launches with Episode 1 on Oxygen, airing Saturday, September 13 at 9:00 pm ET. Two more episodes arrive the following Saturday in the same time block, with encores across the week. The show tracks how a death row inmate gathered years of notes and handed them to cold case detective Ken Mains.
Case background on Joseph Naso
Joseph Naso was found guilty in 2013 of four first-degree murders, then sentenced to death later that year. The victims were Roxene Roggasch, Carmen Colon, Pamela Parsons, and Tracy Tafoya, all discovered in Northern California in the 1970s and 1990s. According to BBC News (November 2013), a 2009 probation search of his Reno home uncovered a handwritten ‘List of 10’ and other evidence that advanced the case.
Court records and trial coverage describe photos of women who appeared to be unconscious, a journal with entries about assaults, and a ‘List of 10’ that prosecutors linked to dump sites and victim descriptions. CBS News reported that DNA tied Naso to at least one victim and that the list and photo evidence were central at trial (June 2013).
5 key details about Joseph Naso’s crime
1) A probation search uncovered a trove of photos and a “List of 10”
A probation search of Naso’s Reno home led to thousands of images and a list referencing unnamed women with locations. Investigators also highlighted DNA findings that supported the homicide charges, per CBS News (June 2013).
A probation search uncovered thousands of photos and the ‘List of 10’ (Image via Pexels)2) A safe deposit box held IDs, clippings, and a dated note
Detectives later found a bank key that opened a box with identification for missing woman Renee Shapiro, who used the name Sara Dylan, plus a note reading “May 4, 1992, Monday p.m.” near the date of a Bob Dylan concert she never reached. This box also contained clippings tied to two victims in the case, per SFGate (January 2012).
3) “Lady from 839 Leavenworth” aligns with an uncharged Marin County victim
Prosecutors linked a list entry to Sharileea Patton, found in Tiburon in 1981, and argued she matched the San Francisco address where Naso served as a building manager. The court heard this during penalty proceedings, as reported by the Marin Independent Journal (August 2013).
4) An inmate says Naso claimed 26 murders, plus a written confession surfaced
From inside San Quentin, inmate William A. Noguera documented years of talks with Joseph Naso, passing more than 300 pages of notes to Ken Mains. Noguera says Naso called the list his “top 10,” not all his victims, and later produced a confession letter describing a Berkeley-area killing path that points to missing woman Lynn Ruth Connes, according to ABC7/KGO (September 2025).
An inmate turned over 300+ pages of notes alleging Naso claimed 26 murders (Image via Pexels)5) A death sentence with executions on hold
Joseph Naso received a death sentence, yet California’s execution process has been paused for years. At sentencing, coverage noted the backlog and long delays, making execution unlikely in the near term, per KCRA (2013).
Where to watch Death Row Confidential: Secrets of a Serial Killer
Death Row Confidential: Secrets of a Serial Killer premieres Saturday, September 13 at 9:00 pm ET on Oxygen. Episode 1 encores: Sunday, September 14 at 12:00 am and 8:00 am. Another encore follows Tuesday, September 16, at 1:00 am. The episode pairs retired detective Ken Mains with inmate William Noguera as they begin to match clues and reach a victim’s family.
Episode 2 airs Saturday, September 20, at 9:00 pm, with encores Sunday, September 21, at 12:00 am and 8:00 am. The hour lays out claims that Joseph Naso posed as a pro baseball photographer to approach women and traces a possible stretch in Las Vegas.
Episode 3 of Death Row Confidential: Secrets of a Serial Killer airs Saturday, September 20 at 10:00 pm, with encores Sunday, September 21 at 1:00 am and 9:00 am. The episode features a written confession obtained by Noguera and tracks New York leads that may connect to entries on the “List of 10.”
On-demand streaming options for Death Row Confidential: Secrets of a Serial Killer are available after broadcast via the Oxygen app and website for authenticated subscribers.
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About the author
Edited by Preethika Vijayakumar
English (US)