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‘Night Stalker’ Richard Ramirez died of complications from lymphoma

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Richard Ramirez — the infamous serial killer who died while on San Quentin’s death row after being convicted of 13 murders — died of complications of blood cancer.

Ramirez, died June 7 at 9:10 a.m. while receiving treatment at Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, Calif. The Marin County coroner’s office said Ramirez, one of the nation’s most infamous serial killers, died of complications related to B-cell lymphoma In addition, at the time of his death Ramirez had other significant conditions, including “chronic substance abuse and chronic hepatitis C viral infection.”

He had been admitted to the hospital earlier in the week from San Quentin.

Ramirez was convicted of 13 murders he committed in the Los Angeles area, but authorities also believe he is responsible for additional slayings from Orange County to San Francisco as well as numerous rapes, assaults and burglaries.

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“This person hurt many people, and our thoughts should be with the next of kin and survivors of these senseless attacks,” said L.A. Deputy Dist. Atty. Alan Yochelson, who prosecuted Ramirez. Yochelson said that although the state did not execute Ramirez, who was still pursuing appeals, “some measure of justice has been achieved” because he had to live out his life behind bars.

Because of the complexity of his case — the trial record was nearly 50,000 pages — the state Supreme Court didn’t hear Ramirez’s first appeal until 2006. The court rejected his claims, but additional state and federal appeals were expected to take many more years.

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richard.winton@latimes.com

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