Memories of the "Valley Intruder"

Richard Ramirez died of liver failure yesterday, poor devil. Before he became known as the Night Stalker, he was referred to as the "Valley Intruder," meaning the San Gabriel Valley. I was living in Diamond Bar then, in a house with clueless roommates. One of the most hideous attacks occurred about 1000 yards from us. The husband was shot in the head, and then the wife was raped. When I got home from working an evening shift, every thing in the neighborhood that seemed the slightest bit out of place was scrutinized. I made sure every sliding glass door and window in the house was locked. I don't think I really got soundly to sleep until my roommates got up in the morning. Every day I would watch the local news for accounts of the latest attack. After what seemed like an eternity, he was captured. Mr. Ramirez changed some of my ideas about capital punishment, here was one man at least, who should have been put to death, and quickly, but a bum liver will also do the trick, and Satan has a lot of time on his hooves.

Excellent Los Angeles Time article.