Richard Ramirez: The story, the evidence, the Night Stalker cbsnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cbsnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
How Did He Get Caught?
Because he was careless. Authorities were able to lift a fingerprint from a car Ramirez had stolen, and (after tracing down some other leads) police matched the print to an old mug shot and released it to the public. But detectives aren’t actually the ones who caught him at first. Basically, Ramirez recognized his own mug shot on a newspaper in a liquor store, fled in a panic, and tried to jack two cars. He ended up being chased by what the
L.A. Times described as “angry citizens” who recognized him…to the point that when police eventually showed up, he said, “Thank god you came.”
FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA
Timeline: Night Stalker Richard Ramirez’s L.A. reign of terror and its aftermath [Los Angeles Times :: BC-VID-NIGHT-STALKER-TIMELINE:LA]
Reports of his brutality left a generation of Angelenos in fear when night fell.
Under cover of darkness in 1985, Richard Ramirez went on a months-long spree of murder, sexual assaults and other crimes that spread terror and anxiety throughout the Southland. Monterey Park, Whittier, Arcadia, Rosemead and Monrovia no suburban window felt safe from his intrusion. His reign of terror yielded many monikers, including the Walk-In Killer and the Valley Intruder. But the Night Stalker would ultimately become synonymous with his modus operandi.
Night Stalker: How brave six-year-old girl helped bring down vile serial killer
Netflix s Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer focuses on the investigation into sadistic murderer Richard Ramirez, who terrorised Los Angeles and San Francisco for a whole year before he was caught
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