"We've all got the power in our hands to kill, but most people are afraid to use it. The ones who aren't afraid control life itself."--Richard Ramirez Ten years after the murder spree that left thirteen people dead and paralyzed the city of Los Angeles with fear, his name is synonymous with Satanism, torture and sadistic murder. Yet despite the sensational nature of his crimes, no one has ever been able to tell the complex story of the killer whose seductive, brooding looks still draw women like moths to a flame--a man millions call the devil himself. Until Now. . . Painstakingly researched over three years, based on nearly one hundred hours of exclusive interviews with Richard Ramirez on California's Death Row, The Night Stalker is the definitive account of America's most feared serial murderer. From Ramirez's earliest brushes with the law to his deadliest stalking expeditions to the unprecedented police and civilian manhunt that resulted in one of the most sensational trails in California history, The Night Stalker is an eerie and spellbinding descent into the very heart of human evil. It is more than epic nonfiction at its brutally real-it is a true crime masterpiece.

The definitive account of a sadistic serial killer whose murderous rampage across California was fueled by cocaine and Satanism. From April of 1984 to August of 1985, Richard Ramirez entered the homes of families from El Paso to San Francisco. He raped, mutilated and tortured his unfortunate victims in one of the most vicious crime sprees in California history. This is the horrifying account of his bloody journey, of the strange coincidence that led to his arrest—and of the sensational trial where the Night Stalker’s eerie sexual magnetism resulted in women actually demonstrating for his acquittal.

Glimpse into the twisted life behind one of America's most horrifying serial killers. Delving into the sick mind of the infamous killer Richard Ramirez, this thought-provoking true crime book sheds light on the childhood, upbringing, killings, and eventual capture of the man who stalked the southern Californian suburbs for over two years. Dubbed as the Night Stalker and baffling the police at every turn, Richard Ramirez left a trail of mutilation and death in his wake, cementing him as one of the worst serial killers America has ever seen. Exploring the troubled yet unassuming upbringing of Ramirez and his hard-working immigrant family, this real crime story peels back the curtain on his life, examining what turned him into the monster he became. Detailing his early years and time at school, how he interacted with his family and close friends, and how he embarked on a dark path of Satanism and murder, this gritty book seeks to shed light on his twisted and evil mind, providing a new and gruesome look at his killing spree and the mindset that made him do it. Perfect for fans of true crime stories, Richard Ramirez's reign of terror left a dark shadow on California's past, showing people the terrifying truth that anyone could become the next victim of a serial killer. Scroll up and buy now to discover the infamous story of the Night Stalker today.

In the summer of 1985, the city of Los Angeles was held in a grip of terror by an elusive killer. He came at night entering through unlocked doors and windows, targeting houses at random, blending in with the shadows, as silent and deadly as cyanide gas. Brutalizing and robbing his victims, forcing them to swear to Satan, driven by heavy metal music and narcotics and what he believed was the power of Satan himself. It seemed no one was safe from who the press dubbed 'The Night Stalker.'This is a firsthand account of the authors ten-year correspondence with him on San Quintin's Death Row, where he awaited execution for twenty-three years before dying of natural causes on June 7, 2013.Packed with newspaper clippings, interviews, artwork from the killer himself, this book gets you up close and personal with the real Richard Ramirez. It is sure to surprise you.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An equal parts haunting and hilarious deep-dive review of history's most notorious and cold-blooded serial killers, from the creators of the award-winning Last Podcast on the Left Since its first show in 2010, The Last Podcast on the Left has barreled headlong into all things horror, as hosts Henry Zebrowski, Ben Kissel, and Marcus Parks cover subjects spanning Jeffrey Dahmer, werewolves, Jonestown, and supernatural phenomena. Deeply researched but with a morbidly humorous bent, the podcast has earned a dedicated and aptly cultlike following for its unique take on all things macabre. In their first book, the guys take a deep dive into history's most infamous serial killers, from Ted Bundy to John Wayne Gacy, exploring their origin stories, haunting habits, and perverse predilections. Featuring newly developed content alongside updated fan favorites, each profile is an exhaustive examination of the darker side of human existence. With appropriately creepy four-color illustrations throughout and a gift-worthy paper over board format, The Last Book on the Left will satisfy the bloodlust of readers everywhere.

THIS MASSIVE 8.5 X 11 PERFECT BOUND BOOK CONTAINS OVER 150 PAGES OF RARE INTERVIEWS, LETTERS, DOCUMENTS, TRANSCRIPTS, ART AND ARTICLES ABOUT SERIAL KILLER, RICHARD RAMIREZ (THE NIGHTSTALKER).

LA has known its share of notorious murderers. Hickman, Glatman, Bashor, Sirhan, Manson, Turner, Bianchi and Buono, just to name an ugly few. These remain stories told once and again. Tragic cases that commanded varying degrees of attention. None upset the urban routine like the Night Stalker. His crimes activated insecurities previously foreign to Angelenos. Brutal and unthinkable killings moved millions to a state of near lockdown. Law enforcement's simultaneous scramble aimed to calm the masses and catch a killer. The effect on the millions of innocents was patently unfair, but proved abundantly necessary. The social impact of the serial killings and serial crimes committed by Richard Ramirez is discussed by a number of contributors who bolted doors, locked windows and took up arms in the heat of just a single summer. It was 1985.It was Satan's Summer in the City of Angels.

This book is based on the actual case of the East Area Rapist, later also known as the Original Night Stalker, a masked man who terrorized California communities for ten years; 1976 through 1986, and possibly to this day. Because I was not involved in the initial rape investigations, they are written from hundreds of reports, notes, memos, newspaper clippings, conversations and interviews with those who were involved. The crimes are factual. The crimes are real. While all characters and events have direct counterparts in the telling of the story, I have created some dialogue in the interest of readability. The cops in the initial rapes are not factual, their actions are. Their names and descriptions are completely fictitious. The names of the victims, witnesses and suspects are fictitious; the terror, the dialogue during the crimes, and the investigations are real. The cops involved in the cases after I was involved are real, their names and dialogue is factual, the investigations are real. The pain and terror may have diminished in the minds of the victims, I hope that the pain does not return. My intent is to tell the story without endangering the privacy or the dignity of the victims. They have suffered enough.

For decades now, serial killers have taken center stage in the news and entertainment media. The coverage of real-life murderers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer has transformed them into ghoulish celebrities. Similarly, the popularity of fictional characters such as Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter or Dexter demonstrates just how eager the public is to be frightened by these human predators. But why is this so? Could it be that some of us have a gruesome fascination with serial killers for the same reasons we might morbidly stare at a catastrophic automobile accident? Or it is something more? In Why We Love Serial Killers, criminology professor Dr. Scott Bonn explores our powerful appetite for the macabre, while also providing new and unique insights into the world of the serial killer, including those he has gained from his correspondence with two of the world’s most notorious examples, David Berkowitz (“Son of Sam”) and Dennis Rader (“Bind, Torture, Kill”). In addition, Bonn examines the criminal profiling techniques used by law enforcement professionals to identify and apprehend serial predators, he discusses the various behaviors—such as the charisma of the sociopath— that manifest themselves in serial killers, and he explains how and why these killers often become popular cultural figures. Groundbreaking in its approach, Why We Love Serial Killers is a compelling look at how the media, law enforcement agencies, and public perception itself shapes and feeds the “monsters” in our midst.

“I just loved to kill people. I love to watch them die. I would shoot them in the head and they would wiggle and squirm all over the place, and then just stop. Or I would cut them with a knife and watch their faces turn real white. I love all that blood.” said serial killer Richard Ramirez in 1985. The killings began on June 28, 1984, when Richard Ramirez slit the throat of a 79-year-old woman, Jennie Vincow, during a burglary. They ended when an angry mob, recognizing him from his mug shot released to the news media, beat him and held him until the police arrived to make an arrest on Aug. 31, 1985. Richard Ramirez – or better known as 'the Night Stalker' – was born in El Paso, Texas, into a less than normal family life; his father, a former Santa Fe railroad worker and peeping tom, was prone to temper tantrums and bouts of extreme physical violence. His cousin Mike, a Vietnam veteran, had taken pride in killing and raping the enemy – and taught Richard all he knew about his 'craft.' At age twenty five, Richard Ramirez's skin and muscle were crafted rock. His face, once uncommonly handsome for a young man who'd undergone such horrors, now appeared to have been carved out of granite. Murderous – robotic, systematically programmed to do what he was told, regardless of the repercussions, he had forgotten anything and everything he ever wanted; he had been convinced he already had everything he would ever need: Satan as his mentor and savior – and the thirst for blood. In THE NIGHT PROWLER: THE RICHARD RAMIREZ STORY, author Chad Nicholas Combs offers an insight into ritual abuse and it's terrifying repercussions – creating a monster. Bonus material: an in depth interview with Richard Ramirez conducted in 1989 but never published in book form until now.