Eyewitness Says He Can’t Be Sure He Saw Ramirez

An eyewitness in the death of the third alleged murder victim of Night Stalker suspect Richard Ramirez testified Tuesday that he could not positively identify Ramirez.

But Monterey Park resident Joseph Duenas, a witness at Ramirez’ preliminary hearing, added that he saw a man who looked like Ramirez involved in a struggle with Tsai-Lian Yu, a 30-year-old student. Duenas said he witnessed the street tussle from the balcony of his North Alhambra Avenue residence late on the evening of March 17, 1985.

Yu, who police believed was pulled from her car by Ramirez, died of two gunshot wounds, one of which was fired into her chest from a distance of no more than an inch, according to a medical examiner.

On Monday, another eyewitness, Jorge Gallegos, surprised both the prosecution and defense by identifying Ramirez as the man he saw dragging Yu from her car.

Gallegos, 22, had previously told police that he could not identify Ramirez, defense attorneys said. Ramirez, 26, is charged with a total of 14 murders and 54 other felonies in Los Angeles County between June, 1984 and August, 1985.