The world was shocked when Doreen Lioy, a magazine editor, married notorious serial killer Richard Ramirez, the "Night Stalker," in 1996 at San Quentin Prison. This strange relationship is explored in Peacock's new true-crime docuseries, "Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes," which delves into Ramirez's crimes through prison recordings and interviews with victims' families and those close to the case. While Lioy didn't participate in the documentary, her past interviews offer a glimpse into this unsettling connection.
Cynthia Horner, a former colleague of Lioy's, recalls the bewilderment and disapproval within their magazine publishing company when Lioy began corresponding with Ramirez. Working at teen magazines, they found Lioy's fascination with the convicted killer deeply disturbing. Horner describes Lioy as a "superfan," someone who fiercely defended Ramirez's innocence and actively sought to change public perception of him.
Lioy's unwavering belief in Ramirez's innocence, coupled with her frequent prison visits, painted a picture of a woman captivated by a dangerous individual. Horner suggests that Lioy's editorial background gave her an understanding of how to capture Ramirez's attention through her letters. Ramirez, with his inflated ego, likely enjoyed the attention from someone connected to the world of celebrity.
Ramirez's reign of terror in Southern California during 1984 and 1985 involved a string of murders, rapes, and burglaries, often marked by satanic imagery. Despite the horrific nature of his crimes, he attracted a following of admirers, including Lioy, who were seemingly blind to his true nature. Horner attributes some of this allure to Ramirez's "rock star" appearance, a look that resonated with certain segments of society in the 1980s.
Lioy's family did not attend the wedding, and she reportedly distanced herself from Ramirez after DNA evidence linked him to the 1984 murder of a 9-year-old girl. Lioy's current whereabouts are unknown, and she was not listed as Ramirez's next of kin when he died in 2013.
Horner, though estranged from Lioy, expresses a desire to reconnect and understand the motivations behind her former colleague's unusual relationship with one of history's most infamous serial killers.
