S.F. Prosecutors Focus on 2 Cases Against Ramirez

Night Stalker suspect Richard Ramirez has been linked to at least four homicides, a rape and 10 burglaries here, San Francisco police said Monday, but prosecutors are focusing on one killing and one attempted murder.

Ramirez is scheduled to go on trial March 22 in Los Angeles for 13 murders and 30 other felonies he is accused of committing in Los Angeles County in 1984 and 1985.

At the time of his capture by an angry throng in East Los Angeles on Aug. 31, 1985, Ramirez also was suspected of killing San Francisco accountant Peter Pan, 66, and seriously wounding Pan’s wife.

Although the Pan killing remains the only San Francisco murder that Ramirez is charged with, San Francisco Police Inspector Frank Falzon said Monday, “We also have three to five other homicides we think he is good for, but the evidence is insufficient to proceed.”

In some cases, he explained, police have eyewitness identifications placing someone fitting Ramirez’s description at the scene of certain crimes, but have no physical evidence, such as a fingerprint, to corroborate it.

Because of this, Falzon said, prosecutors are focusing on the Pan crimes and an earlier residential burglary. Evidence at the scene of that burglary helped San Francisco police discover Ramirez’s last name, which led to the publication of his photo and eventually to his capture.

“Rather than weaken the strong cases, the (district attorney) has decided not to include them in the charges,” Falzon said.

In addition to the other homicides, Falzon said that Ramirez has been linked by stolen property to about 10 residential burglaries, including one in which a woman was raped.

Those cases, now dormant, may be revived if new evidence comes forth during Ramirez’s murder trial in San Francisco, Falzon said. That trial is scheduled after the conclusion of his trial in Los Angeles.

Staff writer Boris Yaro contributed to this story.