History of Richard Ramirez in Timeline

Richard Ramirez, known as the "Night Stalker," was an American serial killer and sex offender who terrorized Greater Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area from April 1984 to August 1985. He murdered at least fourteen people during home invasions, often committed during the day. Ramirez was convicted in 1989 and sentenced to death. He died in 2013 while awaiting execution.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Controversies & Scandals

November 3, 1948: Birth of Josefina "Jesse" Valles

On November 3, 1948, Josefina "Jesse" Valles (née Bretado), Mike's wife, was born.

June 14, 1949: Birth of Miguel Angel "Mike" Valles

On June 14, 1949, Miguel Angel "Mike" Valles, Richard Ramirez's older cousin, was born. He later influenced Ramirez through his experiences in the Vietnam War.

January 1, 1960: Fingerprint system parameters

On January 1, 1960, the fingerprint identification system used to identify Richard Ramirez contained fingerprints of criminals born after this date, which was only two months before Ramirez was born. This was crucial in identifying Ramirez.

February 29, 1960: Richard Ramirez's birth

On February 29, 1960, Ricardo Leyva Muñoz Ramirez, later known as Richard Ramirez, was born. He would become an American serial killer and sex offender.

September 21, 1967: Birth of Miguel Valles Jr.

On September 21, 1967, Miguel Valles Jr., the son of Mike and Josefina Valles, was born.

April 22, 1973: Death of Miguel Valles Jr.

On April 22, 1973, Miguel Valles Jr., Mike's son, died at the age of 5 in an accidental gas explosion.

1974: Ramirez began using LSD

In 1974, shortly after turning 14, Richard Ramirez began frequently using LSD and cultivated an interest in Satanism and the occult.

May 4, 1975: Death of Josefina "Jesse" Valles

On May 4, 1975, Josefina "Jesse" Valles, Mike's wife, passed away.

1977: Mike Released From Mental Hospital

In 1977, Mike was released from the mental hospital and sometimes accompanied Ramirez and Roberto on voyeuristic walks.

1982: Ramirez Moves to California

In 1982, at age 22, Richard Ramirez moved to and settled permanently in California and began to use cocaine, leading to theft and burglaries.

April 10, 1984: Murder of Mei Leung

On April 10, 1984, Richard Ramirez murdered Mei Leung, a nine-year-old girl, in San Francisco. He beat, strangled, raped, and stabbed her to death.

April 1984: Start of Ramirez's Murder Spree

In April 1984, Richard Ramirez began his murder spree in Greater Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area.

April 1984: First Known Murder

In April 1984, Richard Ramirez committed his first known murder, which was not initially connected to him until 2009. He used various weapons and methods to terrorize his victims.

June 28, 1984: Murder of Jennie Vincow

On June 28, 1984, 79-year-old Jennie Vincow was found murdered in her apartment in Los Angeles. Richard Ramirez's fingerprint was found at the scene.

1984: Arrest for auto theft

In 1984, Richard Ramirez was arrested for auto theft.

February 20, 1985: San Francisco Double Murder

On February 20, 1985, Christina and Mary Caldwell were found stabbed to death in their San Francisco apartment. Richard Ramirez is a suspect in the double murder.

March 17, 1985: Attacks in Rosemead and Monterey Park

On March 17, 1985, Richard Ramirez attacked Maria Hernandez and Dayle Yoshie Okazaki in Rosemead, and Tsai-Lian "Veronica" Yu in Monterey Park, resulting in two murders and one attempted murder, leading to media coverage and the "Walk-In Killer" moniker.

March 27, 1985: Murders of Vincent and Maxine Zazzara

On March 27, 1985, Richard Ramirez murdered Vincent and Maxine Zazzara in their home. He mutilated Maxine's body and left footprints from a pair of Avia sneakers, which helped link him to the crimes.

May 14, 1985: Attack on Bill and Lillian Doi

On May 14, 1985, Richard Ramirez attacked Bill and Lillian Doi in Monterey Park, shooting Bill and raping Lillian after ransacking their home. Bill later died of his injuries.

June 27, 1985: Murder of Patty Elaine Higgins

On June 27, 1985, 32-year-old Patty Elaine Higgins was murdered in her Arcadia home. Ramirez was charged with murder and burglary, but the charges were later dropped.

July 2, 1985: Murder of Mary Louise Cannon

On the night of July 2, 1985, Richard Ramirez murdered Mary Louise Cannon in her Arcadia home. He bludgeoned her with a lamp and stabbed her to death.

August 6, 1985: Attack on Chris and Virginia Peterson

On August 6, 1985, Richard Ramirez broke into the home of Chris and Virginia Peterson in Northridge and shot them. Both survived the attack.

August 1985: End of Ramirez's Murder Spree

In August 1985, Richard Ramirez's murder spree came to an end after terrorizing the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.

August 24, 1985: Incident at the Romero Residence

On August 24, 1985, Richard Ramirez arrived at the home of James Romero Jr. in Mission Viejo. He was spotted by Romero's son, James Romero III, who provided details about Ramirez's car to the police.

August 29, 1985: Mugshot released to media

On August 29, 1985, law enforcement officials released a mug shot of Richard Ramirez from a 1984 arrest for auto theft to the media. At a press conference, police stated that Ramirez could not hide from the authorities.

August 30, 1985: Ramirez travels to Tucson

On August 30, 1985, Richard Ramirez took a bus to Tucson, Arizona, to visit his brother, unaware that he had become the subject of major news stories in California.

1985: Doreen Lioy begins writing letters

Beginning in 1985, Doreen Lioy began writing Richard Ramirez letters during his incarceration.

1987: Sean Penn's jail time

In 1987, actor Sean Penn was jailed for 33 days for reckless driving and assault. During this time, he claimed to receive a letter from Richard Ramirez, to which he responded with disapproval.

July 22, 1988: Jury selection and court appearance

On July 22, 1988, jury selection for Richard Ramirez's trial began. During his first court appearance, he raised a hand with a pentagram drawn on it and yelled, "Hail Satan!".

August 3, 1988: Ramirez plans to shoot prosecutor

On August 3, 1988, the Los Angeles Times reported that jail employees overheard Ramirez planning to shoot the prosecutor with a gun, which he intended to have smuggled into the courtroom, resulting in heightened security measures.

1988: Proposal to Doreen Lioy

In 1988, Richard Ramirez proposed to Doreen Lioy.

1988: Release of Colors film

In 1988, the film Colors was released.

September 20, 1989: Guilty verdict on all counts

On September 20, 1989, Richard Ramirez was convicted of all forty-three charges against him, including thirteen counts of murder, five attempted murders, eleven sexual assaults, and fourteen burglaries.

November 7, 1989: Death sentence

On November 7, 1989, during the penalty phase of the trial, Richard Ramirez was sentenced to death in California's gas chamber. After the death sentences, he told reporters, "Big deal. Death always went with the territory. See you in Disneyland."

1989: Ramirez Convicted and Sentenced to Death

In 1989, Richard Ramirez was convicted and sentenced to death for his crimes.

1989: Ramirez's Conviction

In 1989, Richard Ramirez was convicted of thirteen counts of murder, five attempted murders, eleven sexual assaults, and fourteen burglaries.

1994: O. J. Simpson case

In 1994, the O. J. Simpson case surpassed Ramirez's trial as the most expensive murder trial in California history. Ramirez's trial had cost $1.8 million.

April 8, 1995: Death of Miguel Angel "Mike" Valles

On April 8, 1995, Miguel Angel "Mike" Valles, Richard Ramirez's cousin, passed away.

October 3, 1996: Marriage to Doreen Lioy

On October 3, 1996, Richard Ramirez married Doreen Lioy in California's San Quentin State Prison.

August 7, 2006: State appeals end unsuccessfully

On August 7, 2006, Richard Ramirez's first round of state appeals ended unsuccessfully when the California Supreme Court upheld his convictions and death sentence.