* February 15, 1988:

Edwards attacks an 18-year-old woman asleep in her Huntingdale home while wearing a woman's nightie then flees after a struggle, leaving behind a stolen, semen-stained silk kimono.

* May 7, 1990:

During his Telstra shift, Edwards attacks a Hollywood Hospital social worker from behind, covering her mouth and dragging her towards toilets, but she breaks free. He earns a conviction and is ordered to complete a sex offender program.

* February 12, 1995:

Edwards abducts a 17-year-old girl from a dark Claremont park, binding and gagging her, and pulling a hood over her head, then drags her through Karrakatta Cemetery where he rapes her twice.

* 1995-1997:

A male driver, either in a Telstra vehicle or identifying himself as a Telstra worker, gives lifts to women in Claremont or neighbouring Cottesloe.

* January 27, 1996:

Sarah Spiers, 18, disappears after leaving Club Bay View in Claremont and calling a taxi from a nearby phone booth. Her body has not been found.

* June 9, 1996:

Jane Rimmer, 23, is last seen outside Claremont's Continental Hotel.

* August 3, 1996:

Her body is found in bushland at Wellard in Perth's south.

* March 15, 1997:

Ciara Glennon, 27, is last seen in Claremont after visiting the Continental Hotel.

* April 3, 1997:

Her body is found in bushland at Eglinton in Perth's north.

* November 2016

The stained kimono is finally tested, with DNA matching swabs taken from the Karrakatta victim and cellular material found under Ms Glennon's fingernails.

* December 16, 2016

After investigators look more deeply into other offences in Huntingdale, where Edwards grew up, fingerprints taken from an attempted break-in in 1988 match prints in the national database taken from him after the Hollywood Hospital attack.

* December 20, 2016:

Detectives test a Sprite bottle Edwards discards at a cinema.

* December 22, 2016:

Police raid Edwards' Kewdale home. He is interviewed over 14 hours then charged with murdering Ms Rimmer and Ms Glennon, and the Karrakatta and Huntingdale crimes.

* February 22, 2018:

Edwards is charged with murdering Ms Spiers, whose body has never been found.

* February 18, 2019:

Edwards is found alone in a prison shower block with an ear injury and a pencil nearby. Police later reveal it was likely self-inflicted.

* October 21, 2019:

Edwards pleads guilty to the Karrakatta and Huntingdale crimes, but maintains he did not commit the murders. The surprise admissions slash the length of the trial.

* November 25, 2019:

The trial, originally scheduled to start in July, begins.

* May 6, 2020:

State closes its case. Defence case is over within minutes, with Edwards electing not to take the stand and his lawyers calling no witnesses.

* June 25, 2020:

Trial concludes.

* September 24, 2020:

Justice Stephen Hall finds Edwards guilty of murdering Ms Rimmer and Ms Glennon, but not guilty of murdering Ms Spiers.

Australian Associated Press