'Night Stalker' named as suspect in girl's 1984 slaying [Updated]
Richard Ramirez, the Southern California serial killer known as the "Night Stalker," was identified by San Francisco police today as a suspect in the 1984 slaying of a 9-year-old girl.
Ramirez, who is on death row for a series of murders more than two decades ago, submitted a DNA sample to detectives Wednesday at San Quentin State Prison, according to the San Francisco Police Department.
Police said he also is under investigation in connection with several other slayings in San Francisco during that time.
Cold-case detectives have reopened the unsolved slaying of Mei Leung, who was sexually assaulted and killed in the basement of a residential hotel in the Tenderloin district. Earlier that day, Mei and her 8-year-old brother were seen home from a friend's house.
Ramirez was known to live in the general area at that time, but police did not say what evidence in the case pointed them to him.
[Updated at 5:48 p.m.: It was a San Francisco police officer, Holly Pera, who helped reopen the unsolved slaying of Mei. Pera was a young officer when Mei was killed and kept an interest in the case, she said at a news conference this afternoon.
She and her partner examined DNA evidence from the crime scene taken when Mei was killed. The sample was run through the Combined DNA Index System, which include DNA samples from criminals. The detectives said they got a hit on Ramirez and took another DNA sample from him to confirm the match.]
-- Ruben Vives
Photo: Richard Ramirez, in court in 1985, displays a pentagram on his palm.
Credit: Los Angeles Times
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Hopefully now this terrorist will get the syringe. I can't believe he is getting fat off our tax money. Scum of the earth.
Posted by: John | October 22, 2009 at 04:51 PM
Detective Salerno, call your office.
Posted by: Schigolch | October 22, 2009 at 04:57 PM
20 years on death row. What a joke.
Posted by: Mike | October 22, 2009 at 05:07 PM
I remember I was so afraid of that guy when I was a little boy.
Posted by: Erik | October 22, 2009 at 05:08 PM
this Night Stalker who is already on death row, should be put out to hang in the open Men-Yard and cut his bottoms out for display for what he has committed, I most certainly celebrate his end when it does arrive/ it is crimes such as this which requires immediate death
Posted by: NightWatch | October 22, 2009 at 05:10 PM
This Animal doen't deserve to be alive Richard Rameriz should have been put to death years ago why doen't California inforce thier death sentence like Texas and Florida does they don't keep them on death row very long . this man needs to be put down why keep feeding him with taxpayers money.
Posted by: Dennis | October 22, 2009 at 05:32 PM
There is no question he is guilty.
Just look at that star on his hand
Posted by: Wendy | October 22, 2009 at 05:37 PM
Time to give a lethal injection to this psychopath.He murdered a co-workers mother named Dorothy Nelson.He broke into her home and beat her to death.The agony that her family went through was nothing that I'd ever want to face.Letting this guy breathe everyday is a slap to the face for the family's of his victims.
Posted by: Conservative | October 22, 2009 at 05:45 PM
Why isn't this guy dead yet?
Posted by: Mike Rivers | October 22, 2009 at 05:45 PM
Why this scumbag is allowed to even brethe the air is beyond me. Hang em high.
Posted by: hugh wannablomi | October 22, 2009 at 06:07 PM
Why is the thing (man) if that's what you still want to call him, still alive?
Posted by: TOMCAT | October 22, 2009 at 06:09 PM
Good for you, Ms Pera!
Posted by: ACitizen | October 22, 2009 at 06:11 PM
why are we still supporting this animal???
why hasnt he been execcuted yet???
Posted by: thunder | October 22, 2009 at 06:11 PM
wow this is unbelieveable.... i love reading about reopened cases... this seems like a very good one... its never to late to resolve a case
Posted by: laura | October 22, 2009 at 06:21 PM
Justice prevails sooner or later! Wow this is astonishing, I am glad that her family will finally have closure! It is time for this individual to get exected, it is costing us all to keep this PIG on death row! I feel happy to know that he will be incriminated once and for all. May justice be served!!!
Posted by: Velez | October 22, 2009 at 06:36 PM
Why is this swine still alive? Pigs like this pollute the very air that they breathe.
Posted by: Paul | October 22, 2009 at 06:43 PM
DO this with ALL COLD CASES AND GET JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS AND THEIR LOVED ONES!
Posted by: SC | October 22, 2009 at 07:06 PM
WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!
"on death row for a series of murders more than two decades ago"
This no surprise. And how much is it costing us to keep him alive???
Just waste him.
There is no reason for him to be breathing, you can not rehabilitate him.
But for the ACLU and others against the death penalty, wait til one on YOUR family members is killed, raped or molested.
I know by killing them with not bring family back or heal the hurt BUT it will keep others from being hurt. I even included the prison guards who are in daily harm of these monsters.
Posted by: A Concerned American | October 22, 2009 at 08:20 PM
I live in Washington State and I remember when The City was on edge because of this animal. I recall how I hoped that he was caught, tried and found guilty that he would be punished and felt good when the death penalty was handed down.
Now I read where this scum is still alive, twenty years later!!!!. What the F??
Calif. is broke but this one still eats, sleeps, bathes,eats, watches TV, ETE ETC, ETC .
Will someone from CA explain to me ?
You are the voters.
Smith
Posted by: Steven Smith | October 22, 2009 at 08:25 PM
If it turns out Ramirez killed this girl from S.F., will the state really squander money to prosecute him? The guy has been on Death Row since '89 and I don't think he's going to be executed anytime soon.
Posted by: Ray Ipsa Loquitur | October 22, 2009 at 08:40 PM
I was shooting tape for KNBC news when Ramirez went on trial and was in the court room one day during that trial. I've never seen a more sadistic, sinister looking person in my life. This guy should have gotten the needle years ago.
Posted by: West Valley Dave | October 22, 2009 at 08:40 PM
The guy has been in jail for serial murder for over 20 years and he's just NOW giving a DNA sample?
What's wrong with this picture?
Posted by: Olden Atwoody | October 22, 2009 at 09:33 PM
This murderer is the best evidence that politicians and lawyers have subverted the will of the people.
Ramirez should have been executed many years ago.
Costs keep piling up.
Another trial and more 15 minutes of fame.
Posted by: AdoptiveFather, Los Angeles CA | October 22, 2009 at 09:42 PM
There's also a cold case in orange county...
crooked public court employees rigging a jury trial...
public funded employees covering up for other public court officials crimes...
crooked scales of justice conceals evidence of crimes committed by public court officials...
you don't need dna for that type of public court corruption.
Posted by: HOMERUN | October 23, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Execute this piece of crap already
Posted by: Tony | October 23, 2009 at 06:35 AM