LOS ANGELES — 1985 · Serial Murder
The Night Stalker
Between April 1984 and August 1985, an intruder who broke into homes at night killed at least 13 people and attacked many others in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas. The attacks, dubbed the work of the 'Night Stalker' by the press, led residents to shut their windows on hot summer nights. Police identified the perpetrator as Richard Ramirez from a fingerprint, and his photograph was published in newspapers. On 31 August 1985 Ramirez was recognised in East Los Angeles, caught by local residents and handed over to police. In 1989 he was convicted of numerous crimes, including 13 murders, and sentenced to death. He died of illness in prison in 2013 while awaiting execution.
- Date
- 1985
- Place
- California, USA, Los Angeles, US
- Category
- Serial Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 34.0522, -118.2437 ↗
Timeline of Events
- April 1984The first murder linked to the series was committed.
- March–August 1985The attacks intensified, causing panic across the region.
- 31 August 1985He was captured by residents in East Los Angeles.
- September 1989He was convicted of 13 murders and sentenced to death.
- June 2013He died of illness while awaiting execution.
Sources
- The Guardian — Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, dies (2013) theguardian.com ↗
- The New York Times — Night Stalker killer dies at 53 (2013) nytimes.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Richard Ramirez en.wikipedia.org ↗
- The Guardian
- The New York Times
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.