In 1985, the city of Los Angeles was gripped with terror as a series of brutal sexual assaults and murders occurred. This spree of violence left man, women, elderly, and children alike as victims of a sadistic killer that seemed to have no motive or boundaries. He used an ever-evolving range of weapons that included guns, knives, tire irons and more. Dubbed ‘The Night Stalker’ by local media outlets, he became one of the most heinous killers in history.
But what drove Richard Ramirez – The Night Stalker – to commit such horrific acts? To answer this question, viewers can delve into the gripping true crime documentary series ‘Born To Kill?’ which delves into the story of Richard Ramirez and his evil rampage through Los Angeles.
Ramirez was born in 1960 in El Paso Texas to Mexican parents. He had an older brother who suffered from severe epileptic seizures which caused him to be neglected as a child due to his parents’ attention being diverted towards his brother’s condition. Ramirez started dabbling in drugs at an early age and soon began associating with other drug users who introduced him to Satanism. It is believed that he found solace in Satanism and it could have played a role in his killing spree.
His crime spree lasted until August 1985 when he finally got caught after trying to steal a car in East Los Angeles. Ramirez was convicted on thirteen counts of murder, five attempted murders, eleven sexual assaults and fourteen burglaries among other crimes. At his trial, Judge Michael A Penalosa remarked that Ramirez’s deeds exhibited “cruelty, callousness, and viciousness beyond any human understanding”. On November 7th 1989 he was sentenced to death for all the killings he committed during his rampage but never actually carried out due to appeals ongoing for years afterwards.
So if you want to know more about one of America’s most infamous serial killers then look no further than ‘Born To Kill?’ which dives deep into the life and depraved mind of Richard Ramirez – The Night Stalker – revealing facts that have never been heard before about one of history’s greatest monsters.
