Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - “The Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez Pt. 2

Episode Date: April 29, 2021

After his first murder in San Francisco, Richard Ramirez headed back to Los Angeles to begin a killing spree that had the whole city terrified. His brutal attacks came after dark and without warning, earning him the chilling nickname "Night Stalker.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of murder, gore, and sexual assault that some people may find offensive. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. On June 27, 1984, 24-year-old Richard Ramirez discreetly purchased two grams of cocaine from a dealer in downtown L.A. He was dressed in black, the color that best concealed him as he moved through the night. Cocaine in hand, he crept to a nearby gas station and waited for an unsuspecting patron to leave their vehicle unattended. When he saw his opportunity, he sprinted forward, rev the engine, and sped away. Pulse pounding, he drove to a secluded area of the city.

He strapped up his arm, pressed down the needle, and felt the cocaine rocket through his bloodstream. Richard believed the drug-induced euphoria connected him with his master, the devil. In his haze, he heard Satan's orders, spread fear, pain, and misery as far as he could. Heeding the directions, he cruised throughout the city looking for a target. Any house would do, so long as it was shady, accessible, and undefended. He decided to start his reign of terror that very night. The nightstalker was on. The Prowell.

Hi, I'm Greg Pulsing. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today, we're covering Richard Ramirez, the infamous Nightstalker, who terrorized California in the 1980s. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi, everyone. You can find episodes of Serial Killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free

on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcast. Last time, we covered the darkest parts of Richard's childhood and the events that set him on the path of evil. We followed his life all the way until he claimed his first victim. Today, we'll cover the vicious crime spree that earned him the name Nightstalker. We'll also detail his incredible capture and the surprising reaction he got after his arrest. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Bonnie and Clyde, the lonely hearts killers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

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Obsession is in session. And this summer, Prime Originals have everything you want. Steamy romances, irresistible love stories, and the book-to-screen favorites you've already read twice. Off-campus, every year after, The Love Hypothesis, Sterling Point, and more. Slow burns, second chances, chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime. On April 10, 1984, 24-year-old Richard Ramirez committed his first murals.

murder. He killed nine-year-old Main Long in the tenderloin district of San Francisco and posed her body in a mockery of the crucifixion. Sometime in the next two months, Richard made his way back to Los Angeles, where he fed his cocaine habit by burglarizing homes. Some of his early scores netted him substantial amounts, but by late June, his funds were running low. On the evening of June 27, he spent the last of his money on two grams of cocaine. He got high, then drove his stolen car around the city, looking for his next score. Sometime early the next morning, after hours of aimless driving, Richard found himself in Glacelle Park, a small neighborhood of mostly low-income housing.

Using his trained thieves' eyes, he selected a building he believed was an easy target. He parked his car, slid on a pair of gardening gloves, and crept towards the rundown apartment complex. He selected a ground floor apartment because it offered the easiest escape route. He went to unscrew one of the window screens, but found that the cocaine had disrupted his fine motor skills. He had to remove one of his gloves to get the screen off, leaving a partial print behind in the process. He climbed in the window silent as the night. Inside, 79-year-old Jenny Vincolkis slept soundly, unaware of the uninvited guest ransacking her home. Jenny was a very

poor woman who had nothing worth taking, and that infuriated Richard. He felt his blood boil. Jenny had wasted his time, and he decided that she would pay one way or another. So he pulled a six-inch knife from his pocket and stabbed the sleeping woman in her chest. Jenny woke up and tried to fight, but Richard was possessed with furious bloodlust. He stabbed her in the neck, then cut her throat, a brutal killing blow, just like his cousin Mike had taught him. As Jenny died in front of him, Richard's heart pounded with excitement, but it wasn't just adrenaline. He felt more aroused than he ever had before. He pleasureed himself for the next hour, then left the apartment the way he entered. He drove away from Jenny's home,

covered in blood, convinced he was one with Satan. He believed his actions had pleased the double enough that his master would protect him from law enforcement. With this delusional sense of security, Richard continued his crime spree. Over the next year, he broke into multiple homes every night, fueling his growing cocaine habit. Unsurprisingly, his extensive coke use had adverse effects. For starters, Richard felt the days and nights blurring together, and as time passed, he realized the cocaine was making him sloppy, he decided it was best to quit. Vanessa is going to take over in the psychology here and throughout the episode.

Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, but she has done a lot of research for this show. Thanks, Greg. It seems Richard believed quitting cocaine would remove some of his compulsive behavior. However, a 2011 study published in the medical journal Addiction suggests it wouldn't be as simple as he expected. The studying question analyzed the behavior of Parkinson's patients who were treated with dopamine replacement therapy, or DRT, for short. Parkinson's disease is a neurological condition,

largely caused by the body's failure to produce dopamine, which helps the body to maintain habitual behaviors. It's also one of two hormones that cause the body to feel pleasure. Some patients given DRT begin to use the medication compulsively. This behavior mirrored that of people who were addicted to psychostimulants like cocaine. When taken off DRT, those same patients sought out other methods of acquiring dopamine, and it seems the same was true for Richard. In short, when Richard quit cocaine,

he gave up his primary source of dopamine. After several months, he realized he needed something else to get his heart racing. Looking back on the thrill of killing Jenny Vinkow, he realized that murder might just be more exciting than Coke. He'd found his new habit. Now he just needed to find the right equipment. On March 17, 1985, Richard purchased a 22-caliber revolver from a man downtown. Gun in hand, he stole a car from a gas station and set out looking to put his new weapon to use.

He was clad head to toe in black right down to his ACDC baseball cap. As he sped down the highway, a gold Camaro caught his eye. At the wheel was 22-year-old Maria Hernandez. Looking at her, Richard knew he had found his victim. He was ready for his next hit. He followed Maria back to her condominium, watching as she parked in the condo's garage. Acting quickly, Richard parked and crept toward the garage.

He slipped under the door before it closed and drew his weapon, ready to strike. But as he stood, his hat fell to the ground. The sound startled Maria, and she turned around to see him pointing the gun in her face. Screaming, she raised her arms to protect herself as Richard fired. Maria fell to the ground, and Richard pushed her body to the side before continuing into the condo. As Richard looked around, he saw a flash of movement behind the kitchen counter.

Maria's roommate, 34-year-old Dale Okazaki, had heard the commotion and rushed to hide. Moving quietly, Richard snuck up to the counter, and aimed his gun, right where his prey's head might pop up. He waited and waited. And after several silent moments, Dale peaked. And Richard shot her square in the forehead. Before Dale's body hit the ground, Richard was running for the front door. As he sprinted to his car, he was surprised to see a woman standing on the lawn. She screamed, begging him not to shoot her again. And Richard realized it was Maria Hernandez. She had somehow survived his initial attack.

It turned out that the keys in Maria's hand had deflected the bullet, and she dropped to the floor to play dead. Of course, Richard didn't know that. Confused, he kept his gun aimed at her as he sprinted to his car, but he let her live, thinking that perhaps Satan had spared her life for a reason. He sped out of the small community and towards the freeway, replaying the attack in his head. It was exhilarating, arousing, spectacular, just what the devil had ordered. But Richard still wasn't satisfied. He needed more. As he drove, he spotted a car pulling off the freeway.

At the wheel was 30-year-old Sign Leanne Yu, who also went by Veronica. Thinking quickly, Richard decided she would be his next kill and began to follow her. He tailed Veronica for a few blocks, but all of a sudden she pulled to the side of the road allowing him to pass. As he did, he noticed she was glaring right at him. With a wicked grin, Richard stopped his car, got out, and walked to her window. She was furious and asked him why he was following her. Richard answered with violence. He forced his way into Veronica's car, pulled out his pistol, and shot her.

But even at close range, the bullet didn't kill her. She opened the car door to try and escape, but it was too late. Richard fired a second time, shooting her directly in the back, his second murder that night. With Veronica's body sprawled on the pavement, Richard returned to his stolen car and sped away. As he drove into the darkness, he replayed each of the three attacks, reveling in the memories. Richard spent the next ten days reflecting on these attacks. He came to the conclusion that the high murder brought on was better than anything cocaine had ever given him, and it was a vice he wouldn't give up. So on March 27, only 10 days after his last attack, Richard set out to kill again.

At two in the morning, he arrived at a home in Whittier that he had burglarized a year earlier. He knew the owners, Vincent and Maxine Zezara, were quite well off, and he intended to sweep their home for everything. including their lives. Sneaking through the yard, he tested windows until he found one that was unlocked. Then he climbed quietly into the house. In the living room, he found 64-year-old Vincent sleeping on the couch in front of the TV. Without hesitation, Richard drew his gun and shot Vincent in the head. As Vincent bled out on the floor, Richard ran to the bedroom, where he found Maxine, startled

awake by the gunshot, Richard slapped her and ordered her to show him where her valuables were hidden. When Maxine refused to cooperate, Richard bound and gagged the 44-year-old, then started ransacking the bedroom. As Richard tore through the room, he didn't notice Maxine quietly slipping free from her binds, but he did notice the sound of a shotgun cock behind him. He turned to see Maxine aiming directly at his chest, fury in her eyes. He reached for his pistol, but it was too late. Maxine pulled the trigger. Richard looks death in the eyes.

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Now back to the story. On March 27, 1985, 25-year-old Richard Ramirez broke into the house of Maxine Zazzara and killed her husband, Vincent. While he was ransacking the bedroom, Maxine slipped free of her restraints and aimed a shotgun directly at him. Before Richard had time to respond, she pulled the trigger. But Maxine's shotgun didn't fire. Her husband had removed the shells from the weapon just a few days earlier. Rather than relief at his reprieve, Richard was furious at Maxine's gall. He shot her three times and the bullets tore through her body. However, he wasn't content to let his gun do all the work. He grabbed a knife from the kitchen, then returned to Maxine.

He stabbed and slashed to torso multiple times, then carved an inverted cross into her chest. He carved out her eyes and pocketed them. With both his victory, dead, Richard finished looting the house and fled into the night, covered in Maxine's blood. He drove back to downtown L.A., returning to his room at the Cecil Hotel, feeling euphoric. He later described his feeling, saying, It's like nothing else. You can't explain its intensity in words. To have that power over life, nothing is more sexually exciting.

It's the ultimate. That kind of mindset, it was only a matter of time before Richard killed again. A little over two weeks later, in the early hours of April 14th, Richard drove to Monterey Park and selected the home of Bill and Lily and Doye for his next attack. Finding an unguarded bathroom window, he crawled through, sending a silent prayer to Satan, presenting the forthcoming violence as an offering. Moments later, Richard found the couple laying in their bed, but 66,000, year old Bill was awake and holding a pistol. Richard fired first, and his bullet passed through Bill's head.

As he fell to the floor, choking on his own blood, Richard pounced on him, beating the man ferociously. By now, 56-year-old Lillian was wide awake, but as she was recovering from a stroke, she was unable to help her husband. She could only lay still while Richard beat Bill unconscious. Then he restrained and raped her. Afterwards, he ransacked their home and fled into the darkness. Miraculously, Bill awoke after Richard left and managed to call 911. Unfortunately, he died of his wounds a few hours later. Not that news of his death affected Richard. He was riding high in the rush he got from the attack,

and the belief that Satan was shielding him from harm. Police hadn't yet connected his crimes, and Richard had no intention of slowing down so they could catch up. He struck again only two weeks later. Just before midnight on May 29th, Richard parked a stolen car in front of a small home in Monrovia. Far from the dense urban center of Los Angeles, the quiet city rarely saw any crime.

As such, many locals left their doors unlocked. It was only too easy for Richard to enter the home of two sisters, 83-year-old Mabel Bell and 81-year-old Florence Nettie Lang. Both women slept soundly, as Richard prowled through their home. Like Jenny Vinkow, the sisters didn't have many valuables, and this made Richard furious. Wanting to take out his anger, he searched for a weapon, eventually finding a hammer. In one of his most vicious assaults, Richard brutalized the sleeping women with the hammer.

He also raped Nettie. Perversely proud of his work, he felt the urge to publicly declare his allegiance to Satan. He grabbed a lipstick and drew two pentegrams, one on the wall of Mabel's bedroom and another on her left thigh. Satisfied, he left his bleeding victims and drove into the darkness. Somehow, Nettie survived the attack, but Mabel succumbed to her injuries. Still, whether they lived or died, didn't matter to Richard. The violence had so excited him that he wanted to force himself on another woman as soon as possible. He went on the prowl the next night.

Around 4 a.m. on May 30th, Richard found himself on a quiet Burbank Street, looking at a house with vegetation that shrouded it in darkness. It was perfect for a home invasion. He snuck around into the yard, reached his hand in through a doggy door, and unlocked the back door. Inside, he made his way to a bedroom,

where he found 42-year-old widow Carol Kyle fast asleep. He pulled out his 22-calibre paper, pistol and approached the sleeping woman. Then he put the gun to her head and shook her awake, ordering her to stay quiet. He asked her who else was home, and she told him that her 11-year-old son, Mark, was the only other person in the house. Richard held Carol at gunpoint and walked her through the home to find the boy sleeping in his bed. Richard woke Mark and locked him in a closet. Then he dragged Carol around, making her show him where she kept her valuables. Afterwards, he raped her, then cuffed her to the bed and left.

Richard hit the freeway long before Carol even called 911. But whether the police were on his trail or not didn't matter to Richard. He still believed Satan would keep him safe, and he was determined to kill again, as soon as possible. Four days later, on July 2nd, Richard broke into the home of Mary Louise Cannon, a 75-year-old widow and grandmother who lived on her own. He beat Mary viciously, stabbed her to death, then calmly washed the blood off his hands and left.

On July 5th, Richard drove to the wealthy upscale community of Sierra Madre, a town at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. As he scoured the streets for a worthy target, he spotted the home of the Bennett family. The Bennets were a middle-aged couple with two teenage children, 16-year-old Whitney and 18-year-old James. Whitney's bedroom was right next to the front door, which she'd forgotten to lock when she got home earlier that night. Around 2 a.m., Whitney slept soundly as Richard walked boldly into her home. He held a gun in one hand and a penlight in the other. Walking into Whitney's room, Richard grew excited when his light fell on the defenseless teen. He wanted to kill her and rape her body, but he needed to do so silently.

So he pocketed his gun and retrieved a tired, iron from the trunk of his car. Then he crept back to Whitney's bedroom and brought the tire iron crashing down onto her skull. He decided to finish Whitney off by strangling her, so he pulled the telephone wire from the wall and wrapped it around her neck. But as he tightened the cord, something strange happened. According to Richard, sparks flew from the wire and Whitney began to glow with bright blue light. To him, it looked like she was covered in a whole, Hayes, something he assumed was her very soul. Frightened, he loosened his grip, and Whitney breathed in deeply.

His job unfinished, Richard fled from the house, hopped in his car, and sped away. He was furious and confused, convinced Jesus Christ himself had stepped in to save Whitney. He didn't know why God would intercede in that moment, and he couldn't help but wonder what it meant. He feared God's presence, worried that it was a grim sense. sign that foretold his eventual capture. Sexually frustrated and afraid his reign of terror was ending, Richard hired a sex worker to calm his nerves. She did her job and left, and by the end of the night, Richard was calm. Crucially, he was once again convinced that Satan was protecting him.

He was wrong. As police combed over Richard's many crime scenes, they compiled evidence that would eventually lead straight to him. Importantly, detectives had realized that the attacks were the work of one man, and the people Richard had left alive had given useful physical descriptions. While police worked to put together a picture of the culprit, Richard went back on the prowl. On July 7, only two days after his attack on Whitney Bennett, he found his way back to Monterey Park. There he zeroed in on the home of 61-year-old Joyce Nelson. Richard crept through an unlocked window and beat Joyce to death. His vicious assault left a visible shoe print on her face.

Once Joyce was dead, he grabbed everything he could carry and walked out the front door, but he wasn't done. He wanted to find his second victim that night. Around 3 a.m., he found himself only a few streets away, outside the home of 63-year-old psychiatric nurse, Sophie Dickman. Richard snuck into Sophie's home through a doggy door and attacked her while she slept. He cuffed her hands and demanded she show him where she kept all her jewelry. Having worked in a psych ward for over 30 years, Sophie had met more than a few psychopaths in her day.

She figured that the best way to come out of the situation alive was to stay calm and do whatever Richard asked. So she complied with his every order. After Richard helped himself to her valuables, he tried to rape Sophie, but he couldn't get an erection. Frustrated, he threatened to kill her if she ever went to the police, then left the house with a pillowcase full of stolen goods. hadn't killed his second victim as intended. Richard was satisfied with his hall. He fenced many the stolen goods the next day, presumably just enough to live on. But while Richard pawned his victim's valuables, the media learned of the connections between the horrific attacks,

that they were all the work of one man. The papers began printing story after story about the crimes, and Richard grew fascinated with their coverage. He spent the next week's reading about himself and realized that he had to be more careful. With everything that the police had put together, he didn't want to get caught because of foolish mistakes. Still, the coverage excited him, and he wanted to use it to show the world who they were dealing with. He decided his next crime would be his most vicious yet. Planning carefully, Richard bought a police scanner so he could stay a step ahead. He also picked up a machete, intending to decapitate his next victims and leave the heads on their lawn, a menacing simple of his power.

It's possible this message was an extension of Richard's erratophonophilia or his sexual desire to commit murder. According to forensic psychologist Dr. Catherine E. Purcell and criminologist Dr. Bruce Arrigo, lust murderers like Richard are driven by the need for ultimate sexual satisfaction and a compulsive need for power. In their book, The Psychology of Lust Murder, Purcell and Origo state that the orgasm and the sexually sadistic nature by which it is reached symbolize complete domination by the assailant over the victim. It's possible that for Richard, beheading his victims and displaying them to the world, was to be just another symbol of this complete domination.

By publicly displaying his handiwork, he demonstrated his power to the world, including the investigators trying to catch him and the people, who read the story in the news. His plan in place, Richard got ready to send this message on the evening of July 20th, and to do so, he chose the Glendale home of Maxin and Layla Nighting, a couple in their 60s. Richard snuck into the home, machete and gun in hand. He rushed into the Nighting's bedroom to find them both awake, but that didn't slow him down. Richard swung his machete, striking Maxin in the neck.

He'd hoped the blade would instantly decapitate his victim, but it was too dull. Frustrated, he pulled his gun, shot Maxon in the head, then shot Layla three times. He was about to decapitate his victims when his police radio sounded. The announcer reported shots fired in Richard's area, and he knew he had to leave right away. He returned to his car and sped off, frustrated that he couldn't finish his plan. Not content to go home, he set out to find another house. house, another victim. Around 4 a.m., he found himself in Sun Valley outside the home of Chena Rang and Samkid Kovanath. Richard entered the home through an unlocked back door and found

Samkid asleep on the couch. He woke her with a hand over her mouth and a gun to her face and told her to be quiet or he would kill her and her kids. With two young children in the house, Samkid didn't make a peep. Next, Richard found Chaynorong asleep in bed and killed him with a single bullet to the brain. Through the rest of the night, he beat and raped Sommkid. He reveled in her pain, insisting that she asked Satan to save her and to swear that she had given him all the cash and jewelry that she had. Sommkid did as she was told and endured Richard's torture until dawn. He left her tied up in the bedroom and fled the scene, speeding off.

as the sun rose. By then, he was riding high and wanted to spend the day celebrating. That afternoon, Richard sat in an adult movie theater reading news articles about his latest crimes. The media had taken to calling him the Night Stalker, and he liked it. The name reminded him of one of his favorite ACDC songs, Night Proller. More importantly, it made him feel like a true soldier of Satan, and he was ready to march into battle once more. A little over two, Two weeks later, on August 6th, Richard drove to an area of Los Angeles he hadn't visited before. He figured the police were searching for him in his regular haunts, but they weren't looking for him in Northridge, a small community to the northwest of the city. Shortly after 2 a.m., he approached a shaded house on Acre Street, his next mark.

It was the home of Chris and Virginia Peterson, a married couple who were both exceptionally tall and strong. Richard snuck into their home through a sliding glass door. Chris and Virginia were both asleep, but as Richard approached their room, he cocked his gun. The metallic click woke Virginia, who yelled at Richard to get out. In response, Richard shot her in the face. Chris jumped to his feet, only for Richard to shoot him in the head too. Miraculously, neither Chris nor Virginia went down. It turns out Richard's ammunition was a little old, and the gunpowder didn't.

unpacked the expected punch. So instead of succumbing to their injuries, the couple stared at Richard with venom in their eyes. Fighting for his life, Chris tackled Richard and dragged him to the ground. They struggled for a second, but despite Chris's strength, Richard broke free and ran away as fast as he could, leaving the couple traumatized but alive. In the aftermath of the attack, Richard was determined not to repeat it. So he bought an Uzi, a type of machine gun, to eliminate any victims who were too stubborn to die. With his weapon upgrade, he was ready to hit the streets again. On August 8th, he drove to Diamond Bar, a small community east of L.A.,

well beyond his usual territory. There he found a modest home shrouded by pine trees and snuck into the backyard, Uzi on his waist. He popped open a sliding glass door and quietly entered the home of 31-year-old Elias and 27-year-old Sakina Abawath. Richard found Elias and Sakina sleeping in their bed, their 10-month-old baby boy sleeping in the crib next to them. With swift brutality, Richard put a gun to Elias's head and pulled the trigger,

killing him instantly. The gunshot woke Sakina, but Richard was on top of her in a second. He punched her in the face and told her that if she didn't keep quiet, he'd kill her and her children. Richard raped and tortured Sakina throughout the night and demanded that she give him all her cash and valuables. Finally, after hours of torture, Richard fled, leaving a fractured family in his wake.

The next day, Richard returned to his usual hangout spot at the downtown bus station. With increased press coverage of his crimes, he felt like things were getting too hot for him in Los Angeles. Richard hopped on a bus to San Francisco, hoping it would be safer for him. him up north. He took some time to get his bearings until he felt ready to strike again. Around 2 a.m. on August 18th, he arrived in San Francisco's Lakeside District. There he broke into the home of Peter and Barbara Pan, a married couple in their 60s. He found Peter and Barbara sleeping soundly in their bed, and he knew what to do. He put his gun to Peter's head and

pulled the trigger, killing him instantly. The sound woke Barbara, and within seconds, Richard was beating her about the head. She fought back as he raped her, which infuriated him. So he shot her in the head too. Afterwards, he ransacked their home and used Barbara's lipstick to write on the wall. He drew a pentagram, likely believing it was a satanic symbol, and the phrase, jacked the knife. His creepy message complete, he made his exit. Somehow Barbara survived the gunshot, living to tell her terrifying tale to police. But Richard, carried on, feeling just as powerful as ever, just as unstoppable. But the reality was that his rampage was nearing its end.

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Now back to the story. On August 18, 1985, 25-year-old Richard Ramirez assaulted Barbara Pan and killed her husband, Peter. He spent the next few days hiring sex workers. and wandering between pornography stores in the tenderloin district of San Francisco, he likely would have killed in the city again if he hadn't seen a press conference led by the city's mayor, Diane Feinstein. Feinstein announced that Los Angeles's infamous night stalker had made his way up to San Francisco and that police could prove it through physical evidence.

She revealed that authorities had been matching the killer's distinct shoe prints as well as the ammunition he used in each crime. Hearing that, Richard knew he had to ditch his shoes, so he walked to the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge, tossed them into the bay, then boarded a bus to Los Angeles. He arrived on August 24th and wasted no time seeking his next victims. He stole a car and drove south to an area called Mission Viejo. As he drove through the neighborhood, he spotted a beige home shaded by plenty of trees. The home belonged to 29-year-old Bill Carnes, a computer engineer,

who lived with his fiancée, 27-year-old Carol Smith. Richard entered the home through a rear window and found the couple asleep in their bed. Richard raised his gun and cocked it, but the click of the metal woke Bill, who jumped out of bed, just as Richard pulled the trigger. The bullet grazed Bill's head, knocking him to the ground. Not waiting to see if this victim stood back up,

Richard shot Bill twice more, Then he leapt on Carol and ordered her to pray to Satan. Richard tied Carol up and spent the next several hours raping and torturing her. When he left, he commanded her to, tell them the Nightstalker was here. Then he calmly drove away. As Carol called for help and Bill was rushed to hospital, Richard headed back towards the city, feeling invincible.

He spent the next several days hanging around the Chinatown area, frequenting sex workers and taking drugs. Then on August 30th, he decided to hop on a bus to Arizona to visit his brother, Robert. When he arrived in Tucson, he discovered his brother wasn't home, so he hung around the bus station for a few hours.

Eventually, he noticed what he thought were plain-closed police officers filling up the terminal. It's unclear what gave the cops away, but something about them made Richard uncomfortable. He didn't believe they were there for him, but he wasn't taking it. any chances. He hopped on the first bus back to L.A. and rode through the desert.

As he sat on the bus, Richard felt a strange sensation settle over him. Something was horribly wrong. He just couldn't tell what. As he stared blankly out the window, the night sky filled with lightning and thunder. To Richard, lightning was a symbol of heaven, and he felt a strange sense of doom watching it. He arrived at the L.A. Greyhound Terminal a little after 7 a.m., tired and weary. He had barely slept during the journey, but he wasn't too tired to notice that the station was strangely crowded. To him, it looked like he'd walked into yet another swarm of plain-closed police officers, all watching the outgoing buses. Worried, Richard discreetly left the station, heading out into the summer heat.

He walked a few blocks and entered a corner store to buy a coffee, but as he waited, he noticed something strange. From the corner of the store he could hear two women whispering to each other and he made out two words El Matador, Spanish for the killer. He turned and saw

them looking right at him. His eyes darted around the store trying to understand how they knew. That's when he noticed the news rack and saw his face plastered on the front page of every newspaper. Somehow the police had identified him as the night stalker.

He knew he had to run. Richard sprinted outside and down the street, ducking into alleys, hopping over fences, and even darting across the freeway. He knew the cops would track him down, so he had to move quickly. He needed to find somewhere to hide. As he ran, he spotted a city bus stopped at a station. He hopped on just to catch his breath for a few minutes. The bus began to pull away, but as Richard's breathing started easing, he noticed that every single passenger was staring right at him. Everyone in the city knew who he was. He had nowhere to hide.

All he could do now was run. He forced the bus to stop, then hopped off, sprinting down the street once again. He figured his only chance of escape was to drive down to Mexico. As he ran down the street, he could hear helicopters hovering somewhere overhead, and his panic amped up. He had to find a car, fast. He approached the corner of Indiana and Whittier and spotted Manuela Villanueva, sitting alone in a running car. Manuel was waiting for her boyfriend and looked on in fear as Richard sprinted up to her,

fury in his eyes. Richard ordered Manuela to get out of the car and tried to drag her out through the window. She refused and called for help as loudly as she could. Hearing her cries, two men rushed over to help. The men recognized the infamous Nightstalker and knew they had to act. They chased Richard down the street and watched him vault over a fence. Knowing the neighborhood well, they decided to go around and try to cut him off. Meanwhile, Richard raced through a woman's front yard and a backyard barbecue,

getting hit by a hot metal spatula as he tried sprinting to safety. He emerged onto another street and saw a red Mustang with its engine running. He didn't notice that it was on blocks, or that a burly man was standing only a few feet away. Oblivious and panicked, Richard climbed into the car and tried to drive away, only a little bit of the car only to have its owner grab him by the throat, pull him out, and throw him to the ground. Richard was slippery and scrambled away before the man could pin him, but in the distance he could hear sirens approaching. The police were closing in. He hopped another fence and spotted Angelina della Tore climbing into her car. He sprinted

straight at her, but she took one look at him and knew who he was. She screamed at the top of her lungs. El Matador, the killer, the killer. Richard silenced Angelina by punching her in the stomach, then grabbed her keys and climbed into the car as he desperately tried to start the engine. Four men surrounded the vehicle. One of those men was Angelina's husband, Manuel, who had armed himself with a thick metal pole. Recognizing the night stalker, he pulled the car door open and swung, cracking Richard in the head with the metal pole. Without a word, Richard leapt from the car and ran down the center of the street.

He reached desperately for his gun, only to realize that he'd left it in the locker at the bus station. He was defenseless and wounded. And around him, the street was filling. People armed with clubs and bats, all screaming, El Matador. In seconds, Richard was surrounded. He hissed at them, but his his hisses did nothing. Manuel cracked him on the top of the head once more, dropping him. to the ground.

Richard writhed in pain as the men brandished their weapons, daring him to get up. The Nightstalker was in their world now, captured in the light of day, the sun beating down on his throbbing head. In short order, the police arrived on the scene and took Richard in. The neighborhood cheered, and their voices echoed throughout the streets. They had captured the Nightstalker. His reign of terror was over. When Richard was finally brought to the police station, the media went into a frenzy.

Within hours, Angelinos throughout the city were celebrating. Their streets were finally safe again. They could sleep easy at night. In total, Richard was charged with 13 murders, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and multiple counts of burglary. The next few years of his life were consumed by his trial, as the prosecution laid out their evidence for Richard. guilt and explained how they'd captured him. You see, while Richard was focused on his killing spree, investigators had worked tirelessly to bring him down.

At first, Richard's distinct shoe prints and ammunition linked many of his crimes. Then, survivors of his attacks provided police with detailed descriptions of Richard's appearance, as well as his disturbing passion for Satan. The police also found some of the cars Richard had stolen, which gave them his finger, After that, the police issued a description of their suspect to the public and offered a reward for the night stalker's identity. A pawnbroker in L.A., and one of Richard's friends in San Francisco, had come forward, giving investigators what they needed to finally unmask the killer. As the evidence against him stacked up in court, Richard grew frustrated with the whole process and started acting out whenever the news cameras were filming him. He snarled, shouted,

Hail Satan, drew pentagrams on his body, and cursed at the judge. Though it didn't win him any fans in the courtroom, Richard's bad boy image, good looks, and bizarre behavior made him a pop culture sensation. Most loved to hate him. But hundreds of women the world over just plain loved him. They began writing letters and traveling to see him. Many sent him nude photos,

and some even confessed to him. wish that he'd broken into their homes to victimize them. One woman, Doreen Loi, was so devoted to Richard that she wrote hundreds of articles defending him and proclaiming his innocence. But her efforts were futile. The prosecution's case was ironclad. After four years in court, Richard was convicted on all counts and sentenced to death multiple times over.

He couldn't believe it. He'd faithfully executed his mission in service. of Satan, and yet the devil had allowed him to be sentenced to death. It was inexplicable to him, not that anyone really cared what Richard Ramirez thought of the situation. Richard spent the rest of his life on death row. Despite the irrefutable evidence connecting him to the crimes, he told his family that he was innocent, and many of them believed him. They just couldn't accept that he was a sadistic killer. The same denial was found in Doreen Loi, who married Richard on October 3, 1996, 11 years after his vicious crime spray.

She believed that her love could save him, but while Richard whispered sweet nothings in her ear, he said much darker things to journalist Philip Carlo. Richard accepted Phillips' offer to write Richard's biography and granted him extensive interviews. The resulting book, The Nightstocker, became the definitive version of Richard's story, his life and his crimes. The book was a smash hit, but the details therein caused Doreen to finally doubt her husband's innocence. Then in 2009, DNA evidence tied Richard to the 1984 murder of 9-year-old May Lung in San Francisco. After that, Doreen couldn't deny Richard's guilt and divorced him.

She finally saw what everyone else had seen decades earlier. Richard Ramirez was a ruthless killer. But he was also somewhat unique. To this day, he is one of the only known serial killers who killed without discretion. He selected his victims regardless of race, age, gender, and appearance, without mercy, and without remorse. All in the service of a higher power. Though he believed that his mission from Satan made him special, Richard was nothing of the sort. After his divorce, his life was largely uneventful.

He developed cancer in 2012, and it killed him the following year. He was 53 when he died, alone, abandoned by even the devil. Thanks again for tuning in to serial killers. We'll be back soon with a new episode. For more information on Richard Ramirez, amongst the many sources we used, we found The Nightstalker by Philip Carlo, extremely helpful to our research. You can find all episodes of serial killers and all other spot-of-up. original from Parcast for free on Spotify.

We'll see you next time. Have a Killer Week. Serial Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast. Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound design by Carrie Murphy, with production assistants by Ron Shapiro, Trent Williamson, Carly Madden, and Bruce Kitovich. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Giles Hoveseth,

with writing assistance by Joel Callan, fact-checking by Haley, Milliken and research by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood. Serial killers stars Greg Poulson and Vanessa Richardson. Hey there, Carter again. Before you go, remember to check out my new Parcast Limited Series Hollywood Scandals. In anticipation of the Oscars, we're unearthing some of the most sordid controversies in showbiz history.

Tune in every Monday. Follow Hollywood Scandles free only on Spotify. Do you want to hear something spooky? Some monster, it reminded me of Bigfoot. Monsters Among Us is a weekly podcast featuring true stories of the paranormal. One of the boys started to exhibit demonic possession. Stories straight from the witnesses' mouths themselves. Something very snake-like lifted its head out of the water.

Hosted by me, your guide, Derek Hayes. Somehow I lost eight whole hours. Listen now on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. A beloved 75-year-old man washing up getting ready for bed is brutally beaten and killed. Despite an exhaustive investigation, the killer avoids arrest and then strikes again. I'm Global News crime reporter Nancy Hicks. You might listen to a lot of true crime podcasts this year, but they're not crime beat. Search for and follow the award-winning podcast Crime Beat on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music,

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