This is one of the most notorious cases in the world. The Netflix series follows the crimes of Richard Ramirez, or perhaps better known as the Night Stalker. His crimes were felt all around the world as he has committed some of the most unimaginable crimes possible.
We’ve all followed the case rigorously, but here are some UNSEEN photos from the Night Stalker.
A Young Boy Who Helped Bring Down The Night Stalker
Here we can see a picture of a young boy who is being gifted a brand-new toy, for helping to bringing about the end of the Night Stalker. James Romero, at the time just 13 years old was up late in the garage after a family road trip when he heard footsteps in the gravel. He alerted his parents and bravely ran to catch a glimpse of the fleeing Night Stalker.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ Pinterest.com)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
He saw right into Richard Ramirez’ face and caught sight of the car. From here on, he was essential in proceedings. First, he helped identify the car used that night, and eventually he was used in confirming the Night Stalker’s identity. Now, 45 years old James Romero is still accredited with helping solve the case of one of the most wanted men on earth.
Ramirez In Highschool
He was never an ordinary teen at high school like everyone else, from an early age he had begun straying down a dark path of drugs and theft. But it definitely wasn’t clear at this point in his life what he would turn out to be. He attended Jefferson High School in El Paso, Texas and dropped out when he was just 15 – to turn to a life of crime.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image source/ Redrum.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
But, according to his Principal at school, this was not expected. The principal revealed that Ramirez was a quiet and unproblematic boy, he was never naughty and key himself to himself in a reserved and shy way. He did however declare that he seemed to be a troubled boy and fell in with bad company. Despite not being naughty at school, he never applied himself to his studies as teachers felt he just did not care.
The Face of Evil
There wasn’t a newspaper around at the time where Richard Ramirez didn’t appear on the front cover. His face was everywhere. People were hanging on every word of the trail, desperate to know he would never be coming out of jail again.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image source/ Pinterest.com)
[rtk_adunit_top]
It was a case where (understandably) the whole world watching, and waiting to find out the fate of the Night Stalker. This newspaper cover was the front page of the Herald-Examiner in 1989, September 21. Underneath the title, ‘Face Of Evil: The Terror and the Trial’, is a variety of shots regarding the trial, including him as a child and him sat in the courtroom
The Victim’s Daughter
Looking at this photograph, we can see somebody who was directly affected by Richard Ramirez in a most tragic way. This photo shows Judi Arnold, the daughter of Lela and Maxson Kneiding who were murdered by Ramirez. Here, she sits in the courtroom watching the trial.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ Murderpedia.org)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
This is a rare photo of one of the Night Stalker’s victims. So many people felt the terror of the night stalker, anger was felt across the world and fear was experienced by a huge amount of people. But Judi Arnold suffered first hand from the effects of his terror.
Judi Arnold Holds Back Tears
Here we can see Judi again during the trial. In this photo July struggles to remain composed and hold back the tears. Here she is sat next to her sister, Ellen Francis who is also struggling to bite back the emotion.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image source/ Murderpedia.org)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
For these two sisters the trial must have relived the trauma that they faced and brought up details about the crime that had never been heard before. Here is yet more evidence of the death and destruction this monster left behind him.
The Night Stalker’s Mother
Surprisingly, Ramirez’s parents did not desert him and stayed with him despite the evidence against him. This photo shows his mother, Mercedes Ramirez, arriving to the courthouse to attend her son’s trial. She is wearing dark glasses to try and obscure her image and attract less negative attention to herself.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image source/ Murderpedia.org)
[rtk_adunit_top]
Staying by Ramirez, knowing what he has done, seems impossible and unthinkable. But his mother and father remained determined that their son could not have committed the crimes he was being charged for, despite evidence. In fact, they blamed the media for making their son appear as a monster. They remained in complete denial and could not come to terms with the fact that their son was a killer.
Ramirez Is Accused
This picture, taken on the 3rd of September in 1985 – shows Richard Ramirez leaving court after being charged with the murder of a 65-year-old man. This was one of the many horrible crimes committed by Richard Ramirez. It was not until the 10th of September that Ramirez entered into a plea.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ hitc.com)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
The picture shows him about to get into the police van, which is highly guarded. Cases with such public interest are high security risks. Therefore, there are many security measures in place to ensure that Ramirez does not break free.
Drawings Of the Night Stalker
Before there were any photos of the Night Stalker, people still didn’t know who it was, or what he looked like. Of course, you can imagine the added terror this caused the residents of L. A as nobody knew who it was. When there is a local serial killer and you do not know what they look like you would feel even more vulnerable and open to attack.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image source/ reddit.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
Naturally, you become wary of everyone and start to wonder if the killer is wandering past you in the street without you even realising. So, this drawing, despite not being photographic evidence of the killer provided some clarity when it came to putting a face to the name. This was the second drawing done, and they were of upmost importance to the case.
The First Newspaper With His Face On
This photo shows the first lot of newspapers that were printed with Richard’s face on it. Before this, the Night Stalker had the advantage of not being widely recognised. He acted with the cover of anonymity. Soon, there was nobody that did not know his face.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image Source/ nightstalkertour.com)
[rtk_adunit_top]
This photo shows a picture of Armando Lojero, who owns the Wyvernwood corner shop on the 8th and Evergreen. These newspapers stood on a stand outside his shop where he holds them up to the camera. Lojero saw the Night Stalker himself take one of his newspapers after he saw himself on the cover of the newspaper.
Ramirez In Prison
Here we see the Night Stalker dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit. When Ramirez was sent to prison his days of terrorising people were over. Or so we thought. In actual fact, he continued to torment his inmates. Thankfully he could no longer physically hurt people under the heavily guarded prison security.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ Murderpedia.org)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
But he still tried to scare his fellow inmates. He would verbally threaten them to try and intimidate them and had strange habits such as shaking their cell doors to let them know he was there and try and scare them. According to people in the prison at the time, Ramirez was extremely strange.
Doreen Lioy – The Wife Of Ramirez
Here is an unseen photo of Richard Ramirez stood with his wife – Doreen Lioy. It’s pretty mind blowing to think that somebody would actually marry the infamous Night Stalker. Especially, when you learn that the romance begun in PRISON. Ramirez had been sentenced with his crimes, yet for some reason she struck up communication with Ramirez.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image source/ Reddit.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
The pair started writing love letters to one another and 11 years later, Doreen Lioy married the Night Stalker. Of course, the world was in absolute shock by this revelation and people were appalled that somebody could fall in love with a serial killer and a rapist. Especially, a woman who before this, had lived a very normal life. But she insisted his innocence and denied that her husband could be the man that the rest of the world knew him to be.
Doreen Visiting Ramirez In Prison
Here we see a rare photograph of Doreen visiting him in prison. As we can see these visits were followed by the press because of the shock and upset they caused. Understandably, when people saw her entering the prison to visit Ramirez there was a public outcry. Nobody could understand this relationship.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image source/ the-sun.com)
[rtk_adunit_top]
But – shockingly, Doreen was not the only woman vying for the attention of a serial killer. There was actually multiple letters from admirers. But Doreen was by far the most persistent, in the 11 years he served in prison she sent 75 letters. Doreen’s attraction initially started when she saw Ramirez being arrested. She clearly wasn’t perturbed by his convictions and stayed adamant of his good character until the marriage seemed to come to an end. Perhaps the overwhelming evidence finally impacted her judgement.
Ramirez As A Child
It’s hard to ever imagine someone like the Night Stalker as a child – before he had committed a single crime or took part in any evil act, and before he had turned into one of the worst criminals we know today. But here is a rare photography of Richard Ramirez as a young boy.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ reddit.com)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
He may be recognisable physically in this photo, but looking at him here it is mind blowing to think about the way he ends up, and what he became. It brings to mind the ultimate question: are people like this born bad, is the evil inherently inside them? Or, are they created into monsters through a variety of circumstance and experiences?
The Night Stalker’s Mugshot
Here is a sharp contrast to the last photo. From Ramirez as a child – to Ramirez in jail. Here we see him in Los Angeles jail, being arrested for his numerous, horrific crimes. The cuts on his face are the marks of an angry group of people who chased him down. In his early life, Ramirez started to commit crimes such as theft and drug possession.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image source/ dailystar.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
But the crimes started to get worse and worse. He started to turn down a darker path with the kinds of crimes he committed. He particularly started to get more violent after he moved to California and this was when he became particularly notorious. Hence his name, in the night, he used to climb through people’s windows. It is reported that to do this day, the bars on the windows in Los Angeles are still there because of him.
People Try To Catch A Glimpse
Of course, when it involves one of the most followed stories of all time – people are naturally curious and want to get a look at the criminal in the flesh. People had been reading about Ramirez for a long time. So, this picture shows crowds of people trying to catch a look at him as he escorted by the car.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image source/ retrokimmer.co,)
[rtk_adunit_top]
Of course, it wasn’t just curiosity and fascination with the killer. It was anger. People all over were horrified by this man – particularly those who lived in L.A and felt the force of his crimes in real life. So, what started as groups of people trying to see if it was him soon turned to anger when they realised it was. People tried to get to him in anger and the crowd soon turned to violence.
The Police Saved His Life
Once his identity had been leaked for the first time, and showed everybody who the Night Stalker actually was, he did not have long left before he was captured. That morning, he still did not know that his face was plastered over newspapers everywhere. He took a bus to visit his brother in Tucson, Ariz., on Aug. 30 but his brother wasn’t home. So, Ramirez boarded another bus and headed back to Los Angeles.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ Murderpedia.org)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
By now, the police expected Ramirez to know, and they presumed the Night Stalker would be trying to flee L. A – so this move confused them. By this time people were starting to recognise him and were pointing him out to other people. A mob soon formed who wanted to punish Ramirez. By the time the police got to him, he was sweating, bleeding and had been beaten black and blue.
The Sheriff’s Cadets Searching For Evidence
There was a huge effort to search for evidence to result in the conviction of this monster – after all, it was all that anybody wanted at this time. This is a real-life photo of the efforts made to bring the horrors of Ramirez (AKA the Night Stalker) to an end.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image Source/ murderpedia.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
This photo was taken near the Glendale Freeway. According to the authorities on the scene – around 6 pieces of evidence were found that could potentially be used as evidence in the case.
Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Phelton On Night Patrol
Here we can see Bill Phelton, the Sheriff’s deputy, on night patrol duty. In the background we can see houses with their porch lights on. This was an added safety measure for people living in the area. Nobody felt safe. The attacks had everybody feeling extremely vulnerable.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image Source/Calisphere.com)
[rtk_adunit_top]
The increased police presence was to ensure the safety of the residents and also to try and reassure the public and restore some kind of feeling of safety.
Religious Documents Belonging To Ramirez
The night stalker (Ramirez) stole Bill Gregory’s station wagon. When the vehicle was recovered there were many religious documents found inside that belonged to Ramirez. In some of the documents a church was mentioned. The pastor belonging to this church started receiving very strange calls not long after – calls made by the night stalker himself.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image Source/ murderpedia.com)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
These documents represent Ramirez’s strange fascination with Satan. He has revealed (as shown in the series) that he worships Satan, respects him and feels protected by him.
Evidence Against The Night Stalker
As you can see, here is a real photo of the deputy at the time, Tom Martin. He is guarding the evidence that has been collected against the night stalker. In such a high-profile case it is of upmost importance that the evidence is guarded from being stolen or tampered with. In the picture we can see at least 8 tables which are fully covered in plastic bags.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image Source/ murderpedia.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
The bags contain different items such as gold, and personal items belonging to the victims. Because in this case so many crimes were committed, it has led to the collection of a huge mass of objects. Seeing the evidence belonging to the victims is a shocking reminder of all the people that suffered in this case.
The Night Stalker’s Arrest
This is an unseen photograph of the night stalker being arrested. This signifies a historical moment for Los Angeles (and the whole world). After a year of terrorising LA and committing the most unthinkable crimes, by 1989 he is caught, arrested and finally convicted.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image Source/ Los Angeles Times)
[rtk_adunit_top]
His conviction was for 13 murders, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults and 14 burglaries. This photo marks an unforgettable day, and an unforgettable time. Finally, it marked an end of his terror, although of course the after effects would be felt long after.
Ramirez Facing Court
This photo shows L. A’s most notorious serial killer and rapist, in court. From the photograph he looks unnervingly calm and collected. When in reality, he faces a trial for the true horrors he has committed, and death row. Even impending death could not trigger remorse or even reaction from Ramirez.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(source Image/ lamag.com)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
When he found out his verdict, he simply stated that he did not care, and that death was always a part of the territory of being a killer.
‘The Night Stalker’ Vampire
The infamous name Night Stalker sends shudders down our spines when we hear it. The name actually originated from a T-V series called ‘The Night Stalker’. It was about a vampire killer terrorising the people of Los Angeles. Here especially we can see the likeness between the vampire killer and the real-life monster.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image Source/ Pinterest.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
This shows Ramirez before his false teeth. From a young age he disregarded dental hygiene and his teeth problems only grew as he became addicted to cocaine. The drugs contributed to the rotting of his teeth. Usually, when we see pictures of Richard Ramirez it is with his replaced teeth.
Ramirez’ Chilling Smile
It’s hard to imagine that somebody can have such a blatant and shocking lack of humanity. As we look into his face in this unseen photo his chilling smile reminds us of his complete lack of feeling of any kind.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image Source/thecrimemag.com)
[rtk_adunit_top]
His confident performances and smiles infront of the camera, when considering the crimes he has committed, are of no doubt those of a monster.
Satanic Worship
Here the night stalker holds up his hand to display a symbol as he knows the cameras are on him. He is displaying the pentagram tattooed upon his palm. The symbol is a declaration of Satanic worship.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image Source/ murderpedia.com)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
The way he proudly exhibits his allegiance to Satan infront of the camera makes his public display even more disgraceful.
Performing For The Camera
One of the most shocking images has to be this one. His complete and utter disregard for his actions is clearly shown as he pouts and makes hand gestures to the cameras. He poses for the cameras as he faces one of the most notorious trials of all time. His behaviour in the courtroom was reflected by his plea.
[rtk_adunit_top]
[rtk_adunit_middle]
He pleaded innocent for 68 felony counts including 13 murder charges. And, there is no telling whether these were even the full extent of his crimes.
An Attempted Stolen Car Crime Scene
This photo may look fairly normal of it weren’t for the cop guarding the car. But Ramirez had attempted to steal the very car in the photo. So, this photo displays what became a crime scene. It was used to try and get any evidence from it.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image source/ onedio.org)
[rtk_adunit_top]
This isn’t the first time the Night Stalker has attempted to steal a car and failed. We can attribute his failure to the bravery of civilians who got in his way and made it impossible to take their cars, which would inevitably have helped Ramirez and his crimes, and evading capture.
Words Of Thanks
Here we see an unseen photo of the writing of people who are thankful that the killer has been caught. The words are written on a sign outside of Faustino Pinon’s home. Pinon helped capture the Night Stalker and so people came to pay their thanks for helping put an end to his terrible crimes.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ Murderpedia.org)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
It is clear to see how genuinely thankful people are to anybody who helped bring an end to the Night Stalker. The relief is evident and it is obvious how so many people were affected by this terror. The words vary from ‘thanks’ to ‘thank god’ that it is over, to other people hoping that Ramirez suffers for what he has done.
Ramirez Declares ‘It’s Me’
One thing that is apparent with the case of the Night Stalker is his lack of remorse. When Richard Ramirez declared ‘It’s me’, if was more than a confession. It went further than that, he definitely displayed some sort of sick pride in his crimes and his notoriety.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image Source/ murderpedia.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
Far from being ashamed, he was pleased when he could reveal that he was the infamous Night Stalker. There is nothing about this case that is not shocking, and this is definitely no different. Again, as we have seen with many of the unseen photos of Richard Ramirez, his eyes are focused directly on the camera.
The Death Sentence
When you picture somebody, who is about to be sentenced to death – you probably don’t conjure up anything like this image here. This photograph was taken on 1989, October 4th and shows Richard Ramirez during the reading of his sentence. I’m sure it came as no surprise to anybody considering his crimes (including Ramirez himself), when the judge declared death on all counts. Most experts believe this is the reason for the twisted criminal he turned out to be.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image source/ fitmisc.net)
[rtk_adunit_top]
Yet, this is not the reaction of somebody facing death, is it? Again, Ramirez shocks the world as the only perceptible emotion on his face at this moment in time is one of mild interest. Even his body language seems strangely relaxed. I guess the actions of brutal killers can never be understood.
Bloody Crime Scene
This photo is extremely disturbing as it is a real-life crime scene of Richard Ramirez. We can see blood is splattered against the door. The is a rare photo of some real photographic evidence at one of the scenes of the crimes. It is clear that something horrendous happened here by looking at this aftermath.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ dailymail.co.uk)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
The way the blood splatters appear on the surroundings it is clear that this crime by the Night Stalker was a very violent one. To see it up close brings a shocking realisation of the kinds of crimes he committed. Unfortunately, this photograph is just one representation of many, many crimes.
L. A County Jail
Here Ramirez is wearing a blue jumpsuit, for his stint in L. A County Jail. When Ramirez was sentenced to death, he served two decades in prison before he died. Despite his 19 death sentences, the Night Stalker did not get executed. He died of B-cell lymphoma.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image source/ pinterest.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
This was for many people the end of a ling time of terror. Two decades into his conviction of twelve counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree murder, five counts of attempted murder, four counts of rape, 4 sex related crimes and fourteen counts of first-degree burglary.
Family Photo
It is rare we see a family photo belonging to Richard Ramirez, considering the family were torn apart by him. Here we can see his father, Julian Ramirez, his mother Mercedes Ramirez and his younger sister Ruth. This photo is taken when the Night Stalker was a boy, before he had started his violent rampage of crime.
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
(Image source/ Murderpedia.org)
[rtk_adunit_top]
His family life, as a boy, was very disturbed. Although it may not look it here, his family were extremely unstable. He was exposed to drugs, violence, and vidoes of killing from a very young age. Here Ramirez stands in a photo with his father, however, the relationship was not good. His father had an extreme temper which Ramirez fled from by sleeping in the cemetery.
Violent Crime Scene
Here we can see a very disturbing crime scene of a bedroom, covered in blood. The Night Stalker’s crimes often took place in a bedroom. As we know, he would climb through bedroom windows to his victims.
[rtk_adunit_middle]
(Image source/ Infamousresearch.com)
[rtk_adunit_bottom]
Here, he would commit the most terrible crimes. The bed is soaked with blood and blood covers the wall next to it. There is also blood-soaked material on the adjacent bed. This photo was evidence that was submitted against the Night Stalker. He did the most horrendous and brutally violent acts, which can be seen from the crime scene here.
Ramirez And His Family
In this photo Ramirez stands with his family. He used to spend a lot of time with his cousin, Mike who can be seen in this photo. Mike, had served in the Vietnam war and was extremely proud of the murders he committed. Not just that – Mike boasted about women he had raped while he was there.
[rtk_adunit_top]
(Image source/ pholder.com)
[rtk_adunit_middle]
He actually used to show Ramirez videos that he has taken. Then, in 1973, Mike shot his girlfriend whilst Ramirez was present so that he witnessed the whole thing. When Mike was arrested and charged, he was found not guilty – on the grounds of insanity. He was released in 1977 after four years of incarceration at the Texas State Mental Hospital. On release, Ramirez and Mike continued their closeness.
[rtk_adunit_end]
