The “Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez was an American serial killer who murdered at least 13 people. Ramirez operated primarily in Los Angeles, California, from 1984 through 1985, staying at the famed Cecil Hotel during a portion of this time. The police caught Ramirez in 1985, and Richard Ramirez’s teeth were part of the evidence that swayed the courts to convict him.
The story of this killer’s conviction begins in 1985 — amidst the heyday of American serial killer activity — when the police released his name and face on the local news. The manhunt began, and the general public jumped in to assist the police. In fact, it was ordinary citizens who caught Ramirez during a police chase just six days after his photo hit the screen. When we say ‘caught,’ we mean this in the physical sense.
A single person recognized Ramirez on the streets of L.A. and made a phone call to the police. Ramirez ran as soon as he noticed the cops closing in. Then, he made the mistake of trying to steal a car. A crowd gathered. They’d seen Ramirez’s face on the news, and they weren’t about to let this twisted murderer get away. So they moved into action, physically beating the killer until authorities could get their hands on him.
After some time, the “Night Stalker” case would move to trial. Prosecutors would put forth evidence, and the defendant would counter with an alibi. From here, Richard Ramirez’s teeth would crumble his alibis to dust.
Richard Ramirez’s Teeth Proved He Was in LA
Several witness statements the courts released in case documents included descriptions of Richard Ramirez’s teeth. This was useful in identifying a subject, of course, but it didn’t provide enough evidence to support a conviction. It did, however, shatter the “Night Stalker’s” alibi.
In 1989, the Los Angeles Times released an article discussing the incident. While on the stand, Ramirez’s father produced an alibi for his son. He claimed Ramirez was with him in Texas over two days that saw three “Night Stalker” attacks — one murder and two violent sexual assaults. This was a common pattern for Ramirez as he fits the sexual gratification version of a “hedonistic” serial killer to the letter — one of four primary serial killer motives — similar to serial killers like Paul Bernardo or Ian Brady of the Moors Murders.
Police attempted to arrest Ramirez on one other occasion during his murder spree. They first tried to capture the killer during a traffic stop, but failed. Ramirez had been driving erratically in a stolen vehicle, and when the police had him in their sights, he fled on foot. Luck was on the authorities’ side in this encounter, however, as Ramirez would leave a business card from a local dentist’s office behind.
Investigators set up a sting at the dental facility in hopes of catching the “Night Stalker,” but the man never showed. Even so, the dentist would come through to save the day in court.
The dentist broke the killer’s alibi. He testified that Ramirez couldn’t have been with his father in Texas when he claimed. Why? Because Ramirez was in Los Angeles, sitting in a dental chair while this man attempted to fix his teeth. The courts used this testimony, along with witness statements describing the “Night Stalker’s” dental hygiene, as key evidence in the trial. Evidence that put Richard Ramirez away for good.
The courts sentenced the Night Stalker to death for 13 counts of murder. He sat on death row until 2013, when he died of lymphoma.
The Night Stalker’s Teeth (Richard Ramirez’s Teeth) Got Better in Prison
You can see from this screencap or an interview with Ramirez above that his teeth were crooked, and several were missing. This photo on True Crime Magazine’s Facebook page also shows how Richard Ramirez’s teeth were absent down the side of his gums. The dark lines around the edges of his teeth are plaque build-up from ignored dental hygiene. It may be hard to believe, but the killer’s mouth looked even worse before authorities arrested him.
Richard Ramirez’s teeth had always been a problem. According to his friends growing up, Ramirez lived off junk food and never brushed his teeth. His mouth health wasn’t assisted by the killer’s drug problem either. People who knew Ramirez say he used cocaine, heroin, and other drugs. And as Better Health explains, these drugs wreak havoc on the teeth.
While in custody, a dentist at the sheriff’s office recorded that bacteria had decayed nine of Ramirez’s teeth. The rest were in various states of disrepair as well.
As was his job, the dentist went to work. In total, the repair consisted of a root canal, fillings, and treatments for the active rot in Ramirez’s mouth. By the time the dentist finished, Ramirez had a brand new smile.