This Woman Fell Crazy in Love With A Satanic Serial Killer, Marrying Him On Death Row
Doreen Lioy was just a magazine editor — until she wed Richard Ramirez, becoming the wife of the “Night Stalker.”
Can you write a letter to someone for 11 years, in the hope of getting married to one someday? I don’t know about you, but surely I can’t. Doreen Lioy wrote a letter to her prospective husband, Richard Ramirez, a notorious serial killer, for 11 years before getting married. Her joy shocked many.
Interestingly, the wedding ceremony formalized in San Quentin state prison.
For killing over a dozen people in the mid-1980s, Ramirez was sentenced to death. He mainly targeted his victims when they were asleep. Terrorizing the whole of California, the man earned the title of “Night stalker.”
Lioy, blindfolded by the love Ramirez, persisted on his innocence — refusing what media, court, or masses remarked about him. Interestingly, history is marked by the instance when women fall in love with the bad guys — i.e., serial killers.
In most of the cases, women do realize they are falling for the trap, but in Lily’s case, she remained adamant about the world’s wrong judgment towards Ramirez.
Her words are published in sun magazine as:
“I can’t help the way the world looks at him. They don’t know him the way I do.”
Before marrying the serial killer, California’s Lioy was not just a magazine editor but quite a successful one. Owing to her blooming journalism career, Lioy often met celebrities and other stars.
Interestingly, some actors like John Stamos gave Lioy credit for his celebrity success. A blossoming career didn’t fill the void in her life. Lioy was a lonely person — but this in no way justifies her reason for marrying evil’s personification, an unapologetic monster.
Who was this satanic serial killer?
If we reflect on Richard Ramirez’s life, this Texas guy owned a traumatic past with an abusive father.
His mental state might have been further disturbed by acquiring multiple head injuries and by listening to sickening stories of tortured war women through his older cousin.
Other incidents which followed were not so typical — Ramirez, at 13, witnessed his cousin murdering his wife.
As his age progresses, his life becomes saturated with darkness. Drugs and Satanism became the wheels of his life. Starting with drug possession and theft, the monster jumped towards more heinous acts.
After moving to California, the guy is reported to murder at least 14 people — followed by rapes, burglaries, and assaults. His crimes were satanic. By carving pentagrams into the victim’s bodies, Ramirez set an example of barbarity.
Press, by August 1985, had issued a statement to the Californians' insecure life — as a result, sales of house defense items like guns shot up. Having no particular gender restriction or age county, Ramirez hunted randomly.
On August 31, 1985, Ramirez’s luck didn’t favor him. With LAPD’s new fingerprint database and previously available mugshots, the night stalker was arrested.
His arrest was aided by street masses who beat him up until police arrived.
Doreen Lioy entering monster’s life as a wife
Doreen Lioy and Richard Ramirez’s love story began after the latter’s arrest. Isn’t it strange? Upon the monster’s arrest, Lioy realized her attraction towards him, insanely weird.
She dismissed all sorts of stories, refusing to admit Ramirez’s terrible crimes like slashing a woman’s throat and scooping a person’s eyes out.
Unconvinced of Ramirez’s crime’s reality, Lioy remained faithful — after all, she wrote 75 letters to him in 11 years.
Interestingly, Lioy was not only the strange fellow, as there were other women on the list who, seeking thrill and drama in their lives, wrote Ramirez letters.
Game of persistence applies to every domain of life — thus, to love too. Lioy remained persistent, always defended his character, and never shied away from showing love.
Behind evil eyes, she saw charm. Behind the satanic voice, she found humor.
He’s kind, he’s funny, he’s charming. I think he’s a great person. He’s my best friend; he’s my buddy.
Court announced Ramirez’s death sentence on November 7, 1989, and Lioy visits became more frequent after the announcement.
Visiting San Quentin State Prison at least four times a week, Lio remained loyal. After all, the woman used to be the first visitor in prison — because it was for love.
Thoughts about what she sees in the man used to baffle people, and her inability to answer further drove them crazy.
Interestingly, the badass woman knew people labelled her stupid and crazy, but what vital for her was what she knew — Ramirez couldn’t be guilty.
Ignoring the mounting up reviled attitude towards her, Lioy delves into the marriage preparations — pressing another stone of agony on the families of Ramirez’s victims.
Lioy’s preparations weren’t much fancy. She got a gold band for herself and a platinum band for Ramirez. Wondering why the disparity? It was again for her love — satans do not wear gold.
Hats off to the prison staff, who secured a visiting room on October 3, 1996, got them both married. The traditional marriage took place with plastic chairs and vending machines around. Becoming conscious of his words, which seemed inappropriate on a death row, the pastor’s removed “until death do you apart.”
Feels like everyone was good except the monster — no?
Life after marriage?
Lioy knew she would face an increased backlash but cared less. Her shocked family and relatives simply disowned her. The career connections left her unable to comprehend her unthoughtful decision.
Defending Ramirez became a huge responsibility, especially after marriage, which Lioy excelled fulfilling. Only grief that shadowed her all the clock was having to befriend the fact — she wouldn’t be able to have children.
Her words are in Celebs.info are as follows:
“I love children. I’ve never made any secret to him that I wanted five or six children. But that dream didn’t come true for me, and I’ve just replaced it with a different dream. Which is, being with Richard.”
And they lived happily ever after?
What starts well ends well — but not always. A similar theory applies to Lioy and Monster’s relation where it had to die down.
Interestingly, the couple was not divorced on papers, but reports suggest the two were not meeting each other for a few years, long before Ramirez’s death did them apart.
No concrete evidence demonstrates the reason for sudden distancing — but, at large, many people the reason to be surfacing of 1984 evidence in 2009 against a nine-year-old, which spoke it all and unfolded the blindfolded Lioy.
Ramirez’s worsening health condition was considered one of the potential reasons for the couple’s separation.
Interestingly, Ramirez hadn’t had a chance to be hanged, as he naturally died in 2013 due to B-cell lymphoma complications.
Where is Doreen Lioy today?
As far as Lioy’s whereabouts are concerned — her sudden inactiveness is a mystery; no one knows her fate, even if she’s alive or dead.
With the Nightstalker's death, died all the news tagged with him and the whereabouts of the people related to him.
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