The slayings of a Goleta couple 30 years ago have been linked through DNA evidence to an unidentified man thought to be responsible for a string of rapes and killings in Sacramento, Ventura and Orange counties, Santa Barbara County authorities said Thursday.

The DNA finding confirms a long-held theory that the July 1981 slayings of Cheri Domingo, 35, and Gregory Sanchez, 27, were the work of a serial killer whose last known crime occurred in Orange County in 1986.

“With recent advancements in DNA profiling methods, it was important for us to push forward and reevaluate evidence in this case before it deteriorated and became useless,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown.

Nearly 18 months after the slayings, another Goleta couple -- Dr. Robert Offerman, 44, and Alexandra Manning, 35 -- were killed in their condominium. Police believe -- but have not confirmed -- that the same person murdered both couples.

While investigators have enough to profile the killer -- dubbed the Original Night Stalker to distinguish him from Richard Ramirez, the serial killer known as the Night Stalker in the 1980s -- they do not know where he might be, if he’s still alive.

Santa Barbara County crime technicians analyzed more than 50 pieces of evidence in the slayings of Domingo and Sanchez. The samples, including a semen stain, yielded small amounts of DNA that had degraded over time. They were transferred to a law enforcement DNA lab in Richmond, Calif., and matched to samples from four cases involving the Original Night Stalker.

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-- Steve Chawkins

Photo: Domingo and Sanchez. Credit: Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office filed charges against three 18-year-old Bellarmine-Jefferson High School students who are suspected of targeting Burbank residents with paintball guns.

Eric Monson of Tujunga faces 12 felony counts for assault with a deadly weapon, Kevin Yuenyongsakul of Los Angeles faces five and Julian Stephens of Studio City is facing two, including an additional charge for committing a felony while out on bail.

All three will be arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court in Burbank on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.

Two 17-year-olds were also arrested Feb. 2 in connection with the paintball hits when the Burbank Police Department served warrants on their homes, but their names have not been released because they are minors.

Read the full story here.

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-- Gretchen Meier, Burbank Leader / Times Community News

Photo credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

Authorities have reopened Downtown Disney in Anaheim after determining a suspicious cylindrical object found near the ESPN Zone restaurant was a harmless geocaching container.

Anaheim police closed part of the retail district Tuesday morning after Disney employees reported finding the suspicious object during a routine sweep. By about 12:30 p.m. the Orange County Sheriff's Department bomb squad determined it was a geocache site, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Bob Dunn.

Geocaching is a hobby that uses orienteering and GPS devices to hide and seek small waterproof containers known as "geocaches."

Disneyland Resort issued an update via Twitter noting that operations were continuing as normal.

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Downtown Disney section closed off as bomb squad investigates suspicious object

-- Tony Barboza

Authorities have closed off an area of Downtown Disney in Anaheim while a bomb squad investigates an unidentified cylindrical object found Tuesday morning.

Disney workers found the suspicious object just east of the ESPN Zone restaurant while conducting a routine survey of the retail district and called police about 11:07 a.m. Tuesday, said Anaheim Police Sgt. Bob Dunn.

Police officers couldn't determine what the object was, so they called in the Orange County Sheriff's Department bomb squad, he said.

The area around the object has been closed off to pedestrians, officials said, and visitors in surrounding businesses have been asked to stay inside.

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A man was critically wounded in a deputy-involved shooting Monday night in East Los Angeles after allegedly pointing a gun at authorities looking for a stolen vehicle.

Deputies received a call reporting a stolen Cadillac Escalade from a residence near Olympic Boulevard and Indiana Street and spotted the vehicle nearby, said Sgt. Sergio Escobedo of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

When authorities pulled up to the car, someone inside pulled out a gun and pointed it at deputies, prompting a pursuit, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The chase began about 8:15 p.m. and ended about five minutes later near Sunol and Boswell drives, where the suspect was shot after he pointed his gun again at deputies, authorities said.

The suspect was transported to a local hospital and was listed in critical condition. No deputies were injured.

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--Shan Li

Disneyland officials rarely discuss attendance figures -- and Tuesday was no exception -- but the signs flashing outside said it all: "Disney Parks Full."

Resort officials halted ticket sales to both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure on Tuesday. It was the second day in a row that guests were turned away at Disneyland. Officials at the parks credited the holidays and the addition of new attractions at California Adventure.

Although they declined to say how many people filled the parks, Al Lutz, who edits the Disneyland website miceage.com, estimated that between 75,000 and 100,000 people went there Tuesday.

Disneyland Resort temporarily shut down access to both its theme parks Tuesday as holiday crowds pushed Disneyland and Disney California Adventure to capacity.

Park officials had to stop selling tickets for the second straight day at Disneyland around 10 a.m. -– about two hours after the park opened, a park spokeswoman said. Instead, patrons were directed to Disney California Adventure.

But by 1 p.m., both parks were full and Disneyland tweeted from its official account: "Disneyland Resort extremely popular today. Disneyland and Disney California Adventure access temporarily limited."

It was unclear when the parks would resume ticket sales. The week between Christmas and New Year's is traditionally one of the busiest in the parks. Annual pass-holders -– except for the premium level –- are blocked unless they want to pay additional admission.

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Photo: The World of Color show at Disney's California Adventure in Ananheim. Credit: Anne Cusack /Los Angeles Times

Along with being the "happiest place on Earth," Disneyland may also have been the busiest Tuesday.

Park officials had to stop selling tickets for the second straight day, said Disney spokeswoman Betsy Sanchez.

"This is a very busy time of year for us," Sanchez said. "We're extremely popular."

After about 10 a.m., patrons were directed to Disney California Adventure. Sanchez would not say how many people were in the park.

"We never get into specifics about our numbers here," she said.

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Photo: A view of Sleeping Beauty's castle at Disneyland. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Several Disneyland rides were temporarily closed Thursday afternoon after reports of smoke in an area near the Pinocchio Daring Journey ride in the Fantasyland section of the theme park, according to fire department and park officials.

More than 20 personnel from the Anaheim Fire Department responded shortly after noon to reports of smoke in a 5-square-foot area near the Pinocchio ride, said Maria Sabol, a spokeswoman for the fire agency.

When firefighters opened up a wall containing electrical conduits, they found charred wiring and wooden framing, Sabol said. The area was "producing a lot of smoke," she added.

Firefighters shut off the electricity, which forced the closure of several other rides in Fantasyland, Sabol said. Rides in Fantasyland include Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan's Flight.

The situation was brought under control in about 30 minutes, and the number of fire personnel was quickly reduced to one engine, a truck and a battalion chief, Sabol said.

Disneyland Resort spokeswoman Suzi Brown confirmed that several rides using the same power supply had to be closed when the electricity was turned off. The stoppage lasted about an hour, and by 2 p.m. all the rides were "in the process of coming back on line," Brown said.

No evacuations or injuries occurred as a result of the incident, Brown said. She acknowledged that park officials are always "disappointed when we have to close attractions," but they were pleased that the closure was for only a limited time.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, Sabol said.

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-- Ann M. Simmons

Photo: Disneyland. Credit: Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times

Two Asian elephants have arrived at their new home, the Los Angeles Zoo, about a month before the scheduled opening of their new exhibit.

Tina and Jewel, estimated to be 43 to 45 years old, are on indefinite loan from the San Diego Zoo. They were transported in specially designed elephant crates and accompanied by their former curators, keepers and veterinarians, Los Angeles Zoo officials said in a statement.

The Los Angeles Zoo’s six-acre, $42-million Asian elephant exhibit is scheduled to open Dec.16.

The zoo has been under fire for its treatment of the large mammals. Animal-rights advocates argue that zoos do not provide enough space for the roaming animals and that elephants need a stable living environment, rather than being transferred from place to place.