Nightstalker on Netflix
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Netflix’s Night Stalker documentary: The terror of Richard Ramirez’s murder spree

He killed at random in the 1980s

Night Stalker on Netflix is a terrifying documentary series telling the story of serial killer Richard Ramirez.

Ramirez went on a frenzied murder spree around California in the mid-1980s, seemingly killing at random.

But how many victims did he kill, did anyone survive and what have any survivors said?

Nightstalker on Netflix
Ramirez went on a killing spree (Credit: Netflix)

How many victims did the Night Stalker from the Netflix documentary kill?

Ramirez killed 14 people in total.

It’s thought that he tortured at least two dozen more during his lifetime.

His first known victim was 79-year-old Jennie Vincow, who he sexually assaulted, stabbed and brutally killed during a burglary at her home.

Read more: Night Stalker on Netflix: Viewers ‘excited’ for new serial killer documentary on Richard Ramirez

This kicked off a terrifying spree around California, which lasted from the summer of 1984 to the summer of 1985.

However, DNA has tied him to an earlier murder – that of nine-year-old Chinese-American girl Mei Leung in his basement in San Francisco.

In court, he was sentenced to 13 counts of murder, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries.

Nightstalker on Netflix
Ramirez killed 14 people (Credit: Netflix)

Did anyone survive the Night Stalker attacks?

In 1985, Ramirez attacked Maria Hernandez, shooting her in the face.

Remarkably, she survived, but her flatmate who raised the alarm wasn’t so lucky.

In May, Ramirez broke into the home of Bill Doi. After killing him, he raped his wife Lillian while he ransacked the house. She survived.

Other survivors include sisters Mabel Bell and Florence Lang (who were both in their 80s when Ramirez attacked them), 16-year-old Whitney Bennett and 63-year-old Sophie Dickman.

Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer | Official Trailer | Netflix

What have survivors said?

During the trial in 1989, a female survivor said that after Ramirez had raped, beat and robbed her, the Night Stalker told her: “I don’t know why I’m letting you live. I’ve killed people before.”

After Ramirez died in 2013, survivor Sakina Abowath said to the Denver Post: “I’ve been waiting for this news for the longest time.”

Sakira’s husband Elyas was killed by Ramirez in the attack and she said her son still lives with the trauma.

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“He has a scar on him. Depression, panic,” she said.

“Everything was taken from him. He still remembers everything.

“How he put his finger in daddy’s mouth, and blood came out on the finger. He still remembers those little things.”

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor