The Night Stalker is back?

So, many of you might not even know who the Night Stalker is. I didn't, until a couple days ago. I was checking out my favorite american history comedy podcast, when they mentioned they would be at an event with a certain other comedy podcast that covers true crime. So, being a pod fiend, I went and checked out this podcast and started on the back-logged Ep1. It's a little rough, but they mention Michelle McNamara, and glow a little bit about her. The name meant nothing to me, but then they dropped that she was Patton Oswalt's wife.

Now, my interest is peaked, and after the episode, I look her up. She's dead. A matter of months between the release of this episode mentioning her in this obscure podcast, and she's dead. Again, I don't know anything about this woman, but Patton Oswalt is one of the funniest comedians I've ever seen perform. His standup is epic and he can bring even something to a schlocky sitcom and elevate it. It really saddened me to discover this, and realize that this is why there is an Oswalt vacuum in the world right now.

Here's where things get weird. There is a real media blackout on Michelle McNamara's death. There is no further illumination than 'she died in her sleep'. That's crazy! That's not a cause of death! If there was a health issue or something, it would have been released. 'Died in sleep' is not a cause of death, but that is how it is pitched in every media outlet.

Here's where everything get's weirder: Michelle McNamara was researching and blogging about The Night Stalker or Golden State Killer and I think she had an upcoming book. I was unaware of this monster, and again, it seems like people were intended to not be aware of him in the 80's. Media blackout, and it had been forgotten. People in the area DID become aware of him though, and he escalated from raping single women, to terrorizing couples, to murder. He delighted in media attention when, I believe, he realized he could do almost anything and it would be suppressed.

He was never caught. He does have a particular MO of going after people that directly talk publicly about him. The 21st victims (yeah...) were targeted because the community had become aware of the Night Stalker and this random guy was lashing out at the cops and his community in a public forum. The very idea of the Night Stalker was ridiculous, and if he loudly proclaimed that if the Night Stalker came into his house, he and his wife would make short work of him. They were literally the next victims.

So, the current assumption is that he stopped. Or at least publicly, that's the stance. But since he was escalating to murder, it's possible that people wouldn't even know if he was still active. Or maybe he got caught breaking and entering or something and was in jail for a period?

This all comes back to Michelle McNamara was digging into The Night Stalker/Golden State Killer, who famously goes after people that dig at him. Her cause of death is still 'died in sleep', according to every media outlet. Her blog is still active.

I thought Richard Ramirez was the Night Stalker...
And I thought they killed him quite a few years ago.
Creepy guy. Went to court with a pentagram drawn on his hand. Was unrepentant for the killings that he did for his "Lord Satan".

Didn't know all of that about Patton's wife, though. Weird.

a reply to: the owlbear

What if it's a copycat killer? There are a lot of deranged individuals that would do such things.

a reply to: the owlbear

There was the "original Night Stalker" from before.. . the 1970's, called Bay Area Rapist or some such.. .never caught.

Sigh... so many broken folks out there... as if there isn't enough crap in the world.

Poor Patton... first I heard of this and that sucks.

Richard Ramirez , dubbed the night stalker by LA media, killed 13 , did a bunch of other stuff, rapes, assaults etc, between 84-85. Convicted and died of health complications 2013.

a reply to: the owlbear I just watched a Lifetime movie the other night based on the night stalker, Richard Ramirez, and in the movie he hit his head on the wall a bunch in order to get out of his cell into the hospital and then died of complications... not sure if that is true to the real story or a fabrication.
The movie didn't go into about his wife... strange.

a reply to: czerro

The toxicology and lab results are still pending according to The Hollywood Reporter: Officils probe sudden death od Patton Oswalt's wife,

Her website is still up if you are interested True crime Diary

I had only ever associated 'The Night Stalker' with Ramirez, so after reading this I checked out the original guy. I had always just lumped their crimes together for some reason I suppose. There is something pretty strange about the whole thing though... the idea of the original Night Stalker being back I mean... because the last 'official' crime was supposedly in 1986. Here's the thing though... according to wikipedia, "On June 15, 2016, the FBI and local law enforcement agencies conducted a press conference to announce a nationwide push and a US $50,000 reward for his capture. They plan to erect electronic billboards nationwide and other forms of exposure for the push." That's strange isn't it? There's no mention of any new crime being linked to the guy, and yet suddenly there's some new massive push trying to catch the guy? Why? It just seems kind of... out of the blue.

a reply to: reldra

yes richard rameriz is is refered to as "the night stalker".....the person who started this thread is referring to
"earons" aka.... east area rapist original night stalker

here is a wiki page with info on earons en.wikipedia.org...

interesting idea...I remember John Walsh did a segment on AMW they said the guy would have a scar on his arm....a few yerars before the show ended.....nothing came of it

originally posted by: research100
a reply to: reldra

yes richard rameriz is is refered to as "the night stalker".....the person who started this thread is referring to
"earons" aka.... east area rapist original night stalker

here is a wiki page with info on earons en.wikipedia.org...

interesting idea...I remember John Walsh did a segment on AMW they said the guy would have a scar on his arm....a few yerars before the show ended.....nothing came of it

I have never heard this before: "earons". Why are you mentioning John Walsh?

Edit: That's not a wiki page on 'earons'. What does that mean and where did you come up with that?

The Original Night Stalker(ONS) and the East Area Rapist(EAR) are the same individual, confirmed by DNA in the 90's. East Area Rapist was active in the Sacramento area in the early to mid 70's. He was nearly caught after a man attacked him before he had a chance to rape the man's wife. EAR left the Sacramento area after that encounter. The EAR went south, around the LA area, commited rapes and murders in the area. Last known attack was in 1986. He was called the Original Night Stalker in that series. He was connected via DNA to the Sacramento rapes. He has never been caught. I read a great book about these crimes, it is called "Hunting a Psychopath" by Richard Shelby. Mr. Shelby was a Sacramento investigator in the EAR series. The EAR/ONS is also possibly connected to the Visalia Ransacker crimes that occurred prior to the EAR series.

a reply to: FlyingWhale

czerro.. Patton oswalds' wife was writing about the original night stalker (ONS)he was known as the east area rapist EAR)
hence the moniker EARONS.....this is unknown person that poster who started this thread was talking about...the unknown person that Pattens wife was writing a book about...that link is about him.

someone mentioned richard ramirez known as "the night stalker" (a totally different killer) not the original ,not who pattens wife was writing about.


yes that wicki link is about the original nightstalker east bay rapist still unknown, but they have a dna sample..........

there are active websites for finding this rapist murderer...reading about earons reminded me of the episode on americas most wanted after so many years was hoping they would catch the guy, but nothing panned out...don't know why you are upset I mentioned that little tidbit.

this is creepy...this guy (EAR/ONS) had a knack for breaking into houses without anyone knowing


he was a real sicko...he would break in tie up the husband and force him to watch as he raped the wife

a reply to: research100

rshackeford...the sudden reason they are talking about the case again...,with billboards, interviewed podcstsit is the 40th anniversary


here is a very active board link earonsgsk.proboards.com...

a reply to: czerro
This may or may not have to do with what you're talking about.

I remembered it when I saw your thread title.

Richard Ramirz is dead. The cops rescued him from a mob of people that chased him down the street. Heres footage of him after being bandaged up. The people chasing him beat the crap out of him.

Confessed, was tried, convicted and sentenced to prison where he died.

Good riddance…

a reply to: Skid Mark


intrptr

Richard ramirez was known as "the night stalker" yes he went to jail and died...he is NOT the ORIGINAL nightstalker which is who Patten oswalds wife was writing about.


the original nightstaker (ONS) and the east area rapist (ear) they thought were 2 different people (neither richard ramirez) until they matched the dna to the 2 crime sprees they are the same person that's why they are referred to the original might stalker as EARONS for short...this person was never identified..

we still don't know who the original nightstalker (EARONS( is but the 40th anniversary is coming up, bringing renewed attention

richard ramirez has nothing to do with it, his crimes happened later

sorry skidmark that clip is about Richard Ramirez.........I am just trying to clarify and keep the facts straight


has NOTHING to do with Richard Rameriz

a reply to: research100

That makes a bit more sense then, thanks. It still seems a little odd to me that rather than just examining the case in the sense of documentaries and talking about it, they are putting up a reward and billboards and such. Sure, it would be great if they somehow managed to catch whoever it was that committed those terrible crimes, but it's twenty years since the last known incident, right? I can understand an increased interest with the anniversary but it almost seems like a push to actually try to catch the guy. It seems pretty unlikely, but hey, maybe that increased interest will draw the guy out, if he's even still around. Or someone that knew something will come forward and try to get that reward. Who knows.

a reply to: rshackleford

his crimes ran from 1976 to 1986, hence the 40 year anniversary....he committed like 50 assaults and 10 murders

a reply to: research100

Ah. Right. So thirty years since there has been any sign of him. Of course that doesn't mean he actually stopped entirely he could have just stopped... publicizing himself, taking credit, sending letters and so forth. It's also possible he just moved somewhere else and kept doing what he was doing and the connection was just never made. Or something happened that forced him to stop. Maybe he died even back then. It's one of those things that sure would be nice to know the truth. Whatever the case, I have to seriously doubt anything will come of this new campaign and their billboards or anything else they try. I'd think it would probably be one of the longest cold cases ever that was eventually solved.

I'm OP. Sorry, I thought your post was a derail like the Ramirez posts. I had never heard EARONS before, and I just literally pieced this together the other day. The coverage on McNamara's death is strange. I hadn't even realized this was an 'anniversary'.

Podcast was back in January and obliquely referenced McNamara in the same tangent that they were discussing whether they should be concerned if any psychopaths might come after them. I don't think they were aware of any 'anniversary'.

If you are interested, I can drop the podcasts on you privately. They are highly enjoyable and comedic...but they did mention McNamara, drop that she was Patton Oswalt's wife, and discuss worrying about being a target for psychopaths back in January when I'm listening in June. I look into a little, discover in the interim this lady is now dead, and she was researching one of the most notorious serial rapists/killers that nobody knows about. She has audio of him on her website!

EARONS. Got it. Thought it was another derail and that acronym is kinda clunky.