The Night StalkerRichard Ramirez is a notorious serial killer who terrorized Los Angeles, California in 1985. The media gave him the name "Night Stalker" when he was in his vicious rampage of forcing himself to entering his victims' homes late at night and committing his heinous crimes. Although he was only convicted of thirteen murders, he had many more victims. His crimes were so random, disorganized and impulsive that Los Angeles law enforcement had no luck finding Ramirez for months as he became increasingly violent. (Tripod.com, 2012) Finally, in August 1985, the police had enough information from many of his victims to release a portrait of him to the media. The sketch had only been in the news for a day before he was recognized as trying to steal a car, and attempted to flee when civilians began shouting that he was the "Night Stalker". Before long, a mob formed and attacked him. One of the men eventually subdued him by hitting him in the head with a pipe. Police arrived to arrest Ramirez just in time to prevent the mob of angry civilians from killing him. (Bruno, 2012) He was convicted of forty-three counts including rape, burglary, murder, and sodomy on September 20, 1989. The "Night Stalker" was sentenced to death on October 3, 1989. He is currently on death row in San Quentin. (Bruno, 2012) Richard Ramirez was born Ricardo Leyva on February 28, 1960 in El Paso, Texas. He was raised by his parents Julian and Mercedes Ramirez along with five siblings. When Mercedes was pregnant with Richard, she was exposed to toxic chemicals while working in a factory. The effects of the chemicals on pregnant women were not known at the time, but researchers believe it may have been... middle of paper... his murderous rampage began. He has been held accountable for his crimes and will never see the outside of a maximum security prison again. Works Citedbiography.com. (2012, January 1). Richard Ramirez Biography. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from biography.com: http://www.biography.com/people/richard-ramirez-12385163Bruno, A. (2012, January 1). The Night Stalker: Serial Killer Richard Ramirez. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from trutv.com: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/ramirez/terror_1.htmlGrise, J. (2000, December 1). Riccardo Ramirez. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from New York University: http://www.nyu.edu/classes/keefer/ww1/grise.htmlTripod.com. (2012, January 1). "Night Stalker" Richard Ramirez: From the bowels of hell. Retrieved March 30, 2012, from tripod.com: http://members.tripod.com/ol_dirty_paul69/theabyssofthemind/id8.html