richard ramirez
In 1985, greater Los Angeles and San Francisco were struck with an ever-growing list of brutal murders, rapes and robberies of dozens of individuals, including children. The crimes shocked and terrified not only the families of the victims and the communities where the crimes took place - but also captured national attention - as the viciousness and malevolence involved in these acts were made public. The range of victims, and multiple MOs, stumped investigators and suggested that the serial killer involved was capable of almost anything.

This week on MindMatters we discuss the chilling story of Richard Ramirez AKA 'The Night Stalker,' as told in a new documentary on Netflix titled Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer. Was Ramirez 'born' or 'made' into the the monster he became, what influenced him psychologically, and what about his very biology may have helped shape him into the serial killer he became? We also look at the effects Ramirez's acts had on the families of the victims, the investigators involved in tracking him down, and the 'larger than life' strangeness that permeates the entire story. Though stories like the Ramirez's are rare, this tale is an awful reminder that individuals like him do exist, and we'd do well to remember that many of them, unlike Ramirez, appear to be quite normal on the surface. (Also discussed: What The Night Stalker Documentary Leaves Out About Richard Ramirez)


Running Time: 01:22:58

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