Richard Ramirez terrified Los Angeles and Orange County California through 1984 and 1985. The new four-episode Netflix show, Night Stalker, follows the investigative work and community involvement that helped bring down one of the worst serial killers in California history. The crime scene photos are gruesome, but the documentary does an incredible job of humanizing the victims and survivors. A young girl that was abused by Ramirez tells her story and her testimony is powerful. The hardest part of the show is listening to surviving family members who lost people they truly loved and cared about. That’s the thing about Night Stalker; the show may circle a murderer, but it highlights the people who suffered and the detectives who brought the whole thing to an end. I am thankful that the world of true crime is starting to move towards highlighting the memories of those affected and not romanticizing the killer.
Probably the most messed up part of the documentary highlights the women who sent naughty photos to Richard Ramirez when he was in prison and wrote to him. One of the creepiest moments is a woman who used to shop at a thrift store, who came across Ramirez while he was purchasing his infamous AC/DC cap. My favorite response from the woman from the thrift ship was in regards to women sending letters and photos to Ramirez. I can’t repeat it in polite company, but it is accurate.
While HBO Max is coming up in the game, Netflix has proven they are at the top of their true crime documentary game.
