Netflix’s
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer chronicles a year of horror for the residents of Southern California. Between 1984 and 1985, Richard Ramirez, nicknamed the “night stalker” due to his early hours MO breaking into homes and committing murder and sexual assault killed at least 13 people and committed serial rape.
The docuseries has met criticism for its portrayal of the violence, including its use of graphic crime scene photos and slow-motion blood splatter, which some have found “tabloid-esque.”
Ramirez was arrested for the crimes in August 1985, having committed his first murder the previous year and at the age of 25. The arrest was made possible by details given to police by Inez Erickson, who Ramirez attacked and raped. Erickson identified Ramirez leaving her home in an orange Toyota station wagon. The vehicle was soon found alongside Ramirez’s fingerprints. He was identified by bystanders and soon after arrested.