Through the Lens of a Monster

The only man he trusted was a killer too.

On death row at San Quentin, artist and inmate William Noguera formed an unlikely bond with the notorious serial killer Joseph Naso. Over years of disturbing conversations—and at great personal risk—Noguera gained his trust. What he revealed was far worse than anyone imagined.

Behind prison walls, Naso described his brutal crimes in chilling detail, disclosing evidence that had eluded investigators for decades and exposing the darkness that drove him. Now, for the first time, Noguera lays bare those confessions and the psychological games behind them—offering long-overdue answers for grieving families and fresh leads in cases gone cold.

Through the Lens of a Monster is both a window into the twisted mind of a predator and a haunting memoir of a man seeking redemption for his own violent past.

The basis of the Oxygen True Crime original documentary series Death Row Confidential, produced by Dick Wolf, Vanity Fair Studios, and Universal Television. Also available on Peacock.

Author Biography

William A. Noguera is a pioneering expert on serial killers with a unique perspective, having spent forty-two years on San Quentin’s death row before his release in 2025. He is also an internationally acclaimed artist whose work has been exhibited worldwide, and his insights into the criminal mind inspired the Oxygen True Crime docuseries Death Row Confidential, produced by Dick Wolf, Vanity Fair Studios, and Universal Television. His story has been featured in Forbes, the New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Guardian. Today, Noguera writes, speaks, and collaborates with law enforcement to expose the truth about the predators among us. When he isn’t working, he can often be found on his Harley-Davidson-Scarlett.