Richard Ramirez

Richard Leyva Ramirez (February 29, 1960 – June 7, 2013), was a Mexican American serial killer.  He was charged with 15 counts of murder. Ramirez was that type of Satanist you should be scared of. He got the nickname ‘’The Night Stalker’’.

Name:                          Richard Leyva Ramirez
Nickname:                  The Night Stalker
Born:                             February 29, 1960
Died:                             June 7, 2013 (Aged 53)
Cause of death:         Natural causes
Penalty:                       Death
Convictions:               13 counts of murder
                                      5 counts of attempted murder
                                      11 counts of secual assault
                                      14 counts of burglary
Victims:                       15+

Early life:

Looking back at his life, Ramirez certainly had the right environment to become a serial killer. He had four brother and with his family he immigrated to the United States. His father was a violent man with a short temper. When Ramirez was in eighth grade when he started using marijuana and snuffing glue.

He dropped out of school in the ninth grade. Ramirez lived a very bad lifestyle. His diet was mainly junk food, that rotted his teeth, and he continued to smoke marihuana. His first arrest was for drug possession and after that he was arrested twice more for stealing cars.

Another influence on his life was his cousin; Mike. Mike was a Vietnam veteran and member of the Special Forces. He showed Ramirez pictures of the killings and tortures of Vietnam woman. As if that was not enough, twelve-year-old Ramirez was also present when Mike shot and killed his wife.

The Killings: 

Los Angeles is the serial killer capital in the world… In 1985 there were five serial killers at large in Los Angeles. By far the most terrifying one was called ‘The Night Stalker’. A sadistic home invader who especially loved savage mutilation.

The terror began in 1984 , with the murder of a 79-year-old woman in her home. Ramirez had a preference for people who left their houses unlocked. Police found fingerprints but without a suspect for comparison, it left them clueless. By February 1985 there were two more murders. At first the police saw no link at that time.

On March 17, two more people would die. However, on March 20 something changed. Ramirez abducted a girl from her home, he sexually abused her and then let her go.

March 27 – Two victims. One was beaten to death and the other one was stabbed and her eyes were carved out.

May 14 – One victim. Shot in the head.

May 29 – Two victims, one died. Savagely beaten, the attacker drew satanic pentagrams on the bodies and on the walls of the house.

June 27 – One victim. Slashed throat.

July 2 – One victim.

July 7 – One victim. Beaten to death in her home.

July 20 > four victims.

Police were still not giving out any information about the killings.

August 6 – Two attacked. 

August 8 – One victim.

August 17 – Two victims, one died. Police now had a subscription of the attacker.

September 12 – Two attacked.

After that attack Ramirez left in a stolen car. When the police found the car, it was covered with fingerprints. They belonged to Richard Ramirez, who was 25 years old at that time. People described Ramirez as an Satanist and longtime drug abuser.

On August 30, mug shots of Ramirez were everywhere. He was captured by very aggressive and angry civilians who almost beat him to death. The police arrived just in time to save his life and on September 29, Ramirez was facing a total of 68 charges. He got sentenced to death on October 4. 

Quotes:
‘I love to kill people. I love watching them die. I would shoot them in the head and they would wiggle and squirm all over the place, and the just stop. Or cut them with a knife and watch their faces turn real white. I love all that blood. I told one lady to give me all her money. She said no, so I cut her and pulled her eyes out.’

‘I gave up happiness a long time ago.’

‘See you in Disneyland.’

‘Even psychopaths have emotions. Then again, maybe not.’

‘I’ve killed 20 people man, I love all that blood.’

‘Tell Satan you love him.’

‘Serial killers do, on a small scale, what governments do on a large one. They are products of our times and these are bloodthirsty times.’

‘We are all evil. In some form or another, are we not?’

Source:
Philbin, T., & Philbin, M. (2009), The Killer Book of Serial Killers. Canada: Sourcebooks, Inc
Newton, M. (2006), The encyclopedia of Serial Killers Second Edition. New York: Checkmark Books