Richard Ramirez, also referred to as the “Night Stalker,” spread terror across California in the summer of 1985. He chose his victims at random, broke into their homes in the dead of night, and launched vicious attacks on them, which included shootings, stabbings, and mutilations, before killing them.
Investigators initially suspected him of six to eight murders and 25 to 30 attacks. However, due to the nature of his crimes, which contradicted most serial killers, it was extremely difficult for them to identify him. He didn’t stick to a formula. His victims included both males and females, from all age groups, and his weapons of choice varied.
Before he was caught, Richard Ramirez reportedly killed 20 people. A jailer later revealed that the serial killer boasted he could kill double the number of people had he not gotten caught.
An interview with serial killer Richard Ramirez. He never expressed any remorse for his crimes and died in June 2013 from lymphoma while awaiting execution on California’s death row. He was there for 24 years. pic.twitter.com/lnxc77hfVC
— Morbid Knowledge (@MorbidKnowledge) December 12, 2023
The killer accidentally left his fingerprint at one of the crime scenes, which led to his capture. He allegedly regretted not murdering the police officers who discovered the evidence.
A proud Satanist, Ramirez had revealed that Satan was a “stabilizing force” in his life. He also asserted that he was “beyond good or evil.”
During his chilling confession, which, according to Sheriff’s Deputy Jim Ellis, lasted for about half an hour, Richard Ramirez detailed every crime he committed. The way he spoke revealed his crude nature. His motive for killing people was simple. He was heard saying, “I love to kill people.”
Like most serial killers, Ramirez, too, was a narcissist in nature. During the trial, the courtroom observed that Ramirez appeared to smirk, amused by the proceedings unfolding and seemingly proud of the intensity of the crimes he committed.
He reportedly confessed, “I love watching people die. I would shoot them in the head, and then they would wiggle and squirm all over the place and then just stop, or cut them with a knife and watch the face turn really white.” He added, “I love all that blood.”
ngl after watching The Night Stalker’s docu on Netflix, I’m sleeping with the lights on 😶🌫️ I mean I’ve seen so much serial killers docu but this one was just a tad bit creepier idk why pic.twitter.com/3cpLqNx8MR
— tini ⁷ 🍉 (@PHOTAEGRAPHV) November 4, 2021
Richard Ramirez took pleasure in torturing his victims and watching them suffer. He reportedly admitted to gouging out a woman’s eyes when she failed to provide him with money.
One person who had an encounter with Richard Ramirez revealed that he had a grin that resembled a “killer clown’s.” He was never remorseful about what he did. He bragged about his collection of disturbing photographs that he captured of the victims.
He was ultimately convicted of 13 murders and dozens of violent crimes after a judge ruled his testimony as admissible. Despite Ramirez’s legal team’s best efforts, he was charged with 13 counts of murder, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries. He was sentenced to death. The convicted serial killer passed away in 2013 from cancer.
