THE NIGHT STALKER VERDICTS : THE STALKER MURDER CASE

The list below illustrates the complex web of direct and circumstantial evidence against Richard Ramirez, including incriminating statements he made after his arrest.

The 43 felony charges involved 13 murders. Prosecutors said most of the crimes contained various Ramirez “signatures,” such as “distinctive” and “gaping” stab and slash wounds to the throat or body; the language he used that was recounted by survivors; the use of ligatures and restraints, including handcuffs and thumbcuffs, and unusual Avia shoe prints at some of the crime scenes.

Another alleged Ramirez trademark was the pentagram, which first appeared at the scene of a murder in Monrovia, drawn on a bedroom wall and on a victim’s thigh. Such pentagrams also were found on the dashboard of Ramirez’s car and on his arm.

Four handguns were used, but only one was recovered. However, firearms tests showed that unused bullets in a Ramirez bag had been loaded into the gun that was used in two of the incidents. Finally, about 375 pieces of jewelry and other personal property taken from six of the murder sites were recovered and linked to Ramirez. INCIDENT Jennie Vincow, murdered June 27 or 28, 1984, in Glassell Park home. Sustained multiple knife wounds. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Suspect’s fingerprints found in home. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Dale Okazaki, murdered March 17, 1985, in Rosemead. Died of .22-caliber gunshot wounds. Maria Hernandez injured in attack. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Hernandez identifies Ramirez. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Tsai-Lian Yu, murdered March 17, 1985, in Monterey Park. Died of .22-caliber gunshot wounds. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Eyewitness identifies Ramirez. Gun linked to previous shooting. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Vincent and Maxine Zazzara, murdered March 28, 1985, in Whittier. Multiple knife and gunshot wounds. House burglarized. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Avia shoe print found. Use of restraints and ligature. Ramirez, in jail, boasts over crime scene photos. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT William Doi, murdered May 14, 1985, in Monterey Park. Died of .22-caliber gunshots. Home burglarized. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Avia shoe print found. Stolen property found. Thumbcuffs used as restraints. Witness reports seeing Ramirez outside home. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Mabel Bell, murdered May 29-June 1, 1985, in Monrovia. Blunt force to head with hammer. Florence Lang injured in attack. Home burglarized. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Avia shoe print found. Property recovered. Pentagrams at scene. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Mary Louise Cannon, murdered July 2, 1985, in Arcadia. Sustained knife wounds. Blunt force trauma and strangulation. House burglarized. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Avia shoe print found. Stolen property recovered. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Joyce Lucille Nelson, murdered July 7, 1985, in Monterey Park. Blunt force trauma, strangulation. House burglarized. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Avia shoe print found. Witness reports seeing Ramirez outside home. VERDICT Guilty Maxon and Lela Kneiding, both murdered July 20, 1985, in Glendale. Shot, stabbed, nearly decapitated. House burglarized. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Property recovered. Gun linked to previous shootings. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Chainarong Khovananth, murdered July 20, 1985, in Sun Valley. Gunshot wound. Wife assaulted in attack. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Avia shoe print found. Wife identifies Ramirez. Stolen property recovered. Gun linked to previous shootings. Use of restraints and ligature. VERDICT Guilty INCIDENT Elyas Abowath, murdered Aug. 8, 1985, in Diamond Bar. Gunshot wound. House burglarized. Wife assaulted in attack. EVIDENCE AGAINST RAMIREZ Gun linked to previous shootings. New shoe print, Stadia brand, found. Property recovered. Wife identifies Ramirez. Use of restraints. VERDICT Guilty