Step back into the sweltering summers of 1984 and 1985 as journalists Helen Fospero and Martin Brunt return to the chilling case of Richard Ramirez, the man who became known as “The Night Stalker.” From the sensational trial to his cult-like following of fans, we unpack the psychological forces that turned one of California’s most feared serial killers into a figure of morbid fascination.
This episode examines Ramirez’s brutal childhood, his obsession with Satanism, and the four-year legal battle that led to his death sentence. But beyond the crimes, we explore a darker cultural phenomenon: why do some people, particularly women, develop obsessions or romantic attachments to notorious killers.
Joining us is special guest Dr. Amanda Vicary, a social psychologist and leading voice on the intersection of crime, psychology and media. Dr. Vicary’s research on why women are drawn to violent men has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic and NPR. Together, we delve into the unsettling allure of Ramirez, how media portrayals fuel serial killer celebrity, and what this reveals about society.
• The psychological profile of Richard Ramirez and how his crimes terrorized California• The long and dramatic trial that exposed his Satanic beliefs
• How Ramirez gained a cult following including women who claimed to love him• Dr. Amanda Vicary’s expert analysis on the psychology of attraction to violent men
• The ethical questions facing journalists, podcasters and the true crime industry today
True Criminals investigates the stories behind the headlines, exploring the criminal mind, the cultural impact and the people whose lives were changed forever.
Hosted by Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt and journalist Helen Fospero.
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Follow us on Instagram at @true.criminals and subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals.
Connect with Martin Brunt
Follow Martin on Twitter at @skymartinbrunt. Discover more about his career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book, No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter, available here: https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY.
Connect with Helen Fospero
Follow Helen on Instagram at @helenfospero and check out her podcast, The Convex Conversation, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575.
True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.
Visit www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals for more information.
Executive Producer: Lee Mann.
Producer: Russell Barnes.
Senior Researcher: Rebecca Stinton
Audio Production: Andrew Chappell.
Artwork: Bleached.
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