[48] The stolen Toyota was found abandoned on August 28 in Koreatown, Los Angeles, and police obtained a single fingerprint from the rear-view mirror despite Ramirez's careful efforts to wipe the car clean of his prints. James then went into his garage to begin working on his mini bike before hearing Ramirez's footsteps outside the house. By the time he was released in 1984, he had become a callous individual with no prospects of leading a respectable life. He frequently traveled between the northern and southern areas of California both before and during his yearlong crime spree. He then apparently waited some eight months before resuming his killings. [17][18] By the time Richard had turned 14 in early 1974, he began using LSD frequently. The serial killer is thought to have murdered at least 14 people, and raped and tortured dozens more before his 1985 capture. The hitherto unidentified killer was now identified, and his prison photo was splashed across leading newspapers and television channels. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Keep reading for what you need to know about Richard Ramirez's siblings and childhood. Here's What Happened To The Bodies Of These Serial Killers Ramirez would often commit burglaries to support his drug addiction, many of which were later frequently accompanied by murders, attempted murders, rapes, attempted rapes, and assaults. A&E True Crime spoke with Dr. Scott Bonn, criminologist and author of “Why We Love Serial Killers: The Curious Appeal of the World”s Most Savage Murderers,” about what he thinks were the powerful catalysts for the makings of a serial killer. Richard Ramirez, in full Ricardo Leyva Muñoz Ramirez, byname Night Stalker, (born February 29, 1960, El Paso, Texas, U.S.—died June 7, 2013, Greenbrae, California), American serial killer, rapist, and burglar who murdered at least 13 people in California in 1984–85. While on death row at San Quentin State Prison, Ramirez was diagnosed with cancer. It started as every other evening did, with Richard over at Miguel's house smoking pot and playing miniature pool, when he reached into the fridge for a cold drink. He died in 2013 while awaiting execution. "When his cousin showed him those photographs," his biographer told A&E network, "Ramirez became sexually aroused. [23], Ramirez dropped out of Jefferson High School in the ninth grade. At the age of 2, a dresser fell on Ramirez's head, causing a large forehead laceration. As a child, Ramirez was physically abused by his father, leading him to sleep in a graveyard to avoid being at home. After dropping out of high school, he moved to Los Angeles. At 12, he was exposed to photos of raped and dismembered Vietnamese women by his older cousin, veteran Miguel Ramirez, who later shot his wife in front of “little Richie.” Ramirez eventually became addicted to drugs and dropped out of high school. As was shown in the series, charges were not brought against him for his sex crimes against children so as to spare the court the experience. After seeing him on television following his arrest, she started writing him letters. Ricardo "Richard" Leyva Muñoz Ramirez (/rəˈmɪərɛz/; February 29, 1960 – June 7, 2013), dubbed the Night Stalker, the Valley Intruder (as his attacks were first clustered in the San Gabriel Valley), and the Walk-In Killer was an American serial killer and sex offender whose crime spree took place in California between June 1984 and August 1985. On March 17, 1985, Ramirez attacked 22-year-old Maria Hernandez outside her home in Rosemead, California, shooting her in the face with a .22 caliber handgun after she pulled into her garage. As a teenager, Richard Ramirez spent a lot of time with his older cousin, Miguel "Mike" Ramirez, according to Philip Carlo's "The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez." He stated that he was startled to see electrical sparks emanate from the cord, and when his victim began to breathe, he fled the house believing that Jesus Christ had intervened and saved her. But Avala was what Carlo described as "an obsessed Peeping Tom" who toured the neighborhood at night hoping to catch women undressing through windows — with Richard in tow. Bell later died of her injuries in the hospital. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending). It was all about this need for stimulation and satisfaction and the thrill. But what was his family life like before he turned to murder? Richard Ramirez Victims, Attorney, Age, Death, Wife, Kids - TV Stars Info The elusive ‘Night Stalker’ was finally arrested on 30 August 1985. © Copyright 2023 Distractify. Although he received the death punishment after being found guilty, he passed away in custody. The Night Stalker: Richard Ramirez, The Devil's Spawn To sneak out of the house, he learned military techniques from his cousin. Ramirez Trester LLP, Los Angeles, California, for Defendants-Appellees Nevada County, Shannon Moon, . [123] Consequently, a metal detector was installed outside, and intensive searches were conducted on people entering. Were "Night Stalker" Richard Ramirez's heinous crimes a product of a difficult upbringing? The brutality of the attack shocked the police. Manson, Wuornos, Ramirez: 3 Famous Killers with Exceptionally Screwed-Up Childhoods, Ted Bundy’s Childhood: Lonely Boy to Window Peeper to Serial Killer. But because he was incapable of shutting off his irrational thoughts, he became consumed by, and acted on, his more hellish instincts. to Mexican immigrants Mercedes and Julian Ramirez, and became known affectionately in the family as Richard or Ricky. He was convicted of killing 13 people on September 20, 1989. [121] The crowd grew to several hundred people and was becoming unruly toward Ramirez, and responding officer Andy Ramirez (no relation)[117] stayed behind while officer Jim Kaiser drove Ramirez to the Hollenbeck police station.[117]. Also known as: Night Stalker, Ricardo Leyva Muñoz Ramirez. There will be no place you can hide. Richard Ramirez initially claimed innocence despite the overwhelming evidence against him. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. It was during this period that Richard began to cultivate an interest in Satanism and the occult. Julian, whose temper had been getting shorter and shorter, beat him in a way that was described in the book as being merciless. Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect, described as being a juvenile at the time, and have not brought charges due to the lack of evidence.[29]. However, his first known murder occurred as early as April 1984; this crime was not connected to Ramirez, nor was it known to be his doing, until 2009. How Many People Did Richard Ramirez kill? All the Night Stalker's ... A sociopath is not medically ill according to the American Medical Association. The youngest of five children to Mexican immigrants, his family lived in poverty in El Paso, Texas. [14] Around this time, Richard began to seek escape from his father's violent temper by sleeping in a local cemetery.[14]. As New York University's Jennifer Grise argued, none of his siblings — who lived in the same home — grew up to be serial killers. Who Is Richard Ramirez's Wife? - Parade At age 10, Ramirez begins smoking weed after hanging out with his . He repeatedly demanded that she "swear on Satan" that she would not scream during his assaults. Manifest ending explained — Who survived? Born Ricardo Leyva Muñoz Ramirez in El Paso, Texas, Richard Ramirez was the son of Mexican immigrants, including a father who was said to be "physically abusive," according to CBS News. The Satanic killer, who terrorized Los Angeles residents in the mid-eighties with his rampant killing and . But Ramirez was not insane from either a clinical or a legal perspective in the U.S., [which would] mean you don’t know it was wrong to kill at the time of the crime. One of them, freelance magazine editor Doreen Lioy, fell in love with the killer and married him in California's ‘San Quentin State Prison’ in October 1996. Ramirez, who became known as the Walk-In Killer, Valley Intruder and, more infamously, the Night Stalker, was also known for leaving Satanic symbols in his crime scenes and for not having a "type," attacking men, women, and children of different ages and backgrounds, per NYT. Digital Spy has launched its first-ever digital magazine with exclusive features, interviews, and videos. At age two, a dresser fell on Richard’s head, causing a large forehead laceration. Richard Ramirez, in full Ricardo Leyva Muñoz Ramirez, byname Night Stalker, (born February 29, 1960, El Paso, Texas, U.S.—died June 7, 2013, Greenbrae, California), American serial killer, rapist, and burglar who murdered at least 13 people in California in 1984-85. Both of his parents, Julian and Mercedes, worked multiple jobs to make ends meet. And he fit that profile. In 1989, Ramirez received a death sentence after being convicted of 13 counts of murder, five counts of attempted murder, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries, per CNN (he died of lymphoma in 2013 at age 53). Ramirez knew it was wrong. Richard Ramirez: The story, the evidence, the Night Stalker - CBS News He struck again in March 1985, this time attacking Maria Hernandez. [10], As a 12-year-old, Richard, or "Richie" as he was known to his family, was strongly influenced by his older cousin, Miguel ("Mike") Ramirez,[11] a decorated Green Beret combat veteran who himself had already become a serial killer and a rapist during his time in the United States Army in the Vietnam War. Night Stalker: How brave six-year-old girl took down Richard Ramirez ... For over a year, Ramirez crept into houses in the wee morning hours and raped and tortured his randomly selected victims. [6][7] His father Julián, a Mexican national and former Ciudad Juárez policeman who later became a laborer on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway,[8] was an alcoholic who was prone to fits of anger that often resulted in physical abuse towards his wife and children. He shot the sleeping Peter, age 66, in the temple with a .25 caliber handgun, which killed him instantly. The Estate brought . [3] Ramirez never expressed any remorse for his crimes. Death always went with the territory.” He was believed to have committed other murders and rapes but was never charged for any additional crimes. The San Francisco Bay police realized that this could be the work of the same killer responsible for the Los Angeles murders. Miguel was a decorated Green Beret veteran of the Vietnam War, but he was also a violent man who publicly displayed pride over having killed and assaulted Vietnamese civilians, according to Carlo's book. Richard Ramirez: From Childhood Trauma to Night Stalker But what was his family life like before he turned to murder? Just like many other killers with a sexual motive, Ramirez. The woman's husband, Manuel De La Torre, witnessed the attempt and struck Ramirez over the head with a fence post in the pursuit. Eventually, everything escalated, and he became a serial killer. In his early teens, Richard also witnessed Mike kill his own wife Jessie, by shooting her in the face at point-blank range.
