Cynthia Horner, a former magazine editor, is reflecting on her friend Doreen Lioy’s relationship with serial killer Richard Ramirez, known as the “Night Stalker.” Lioy, who was a 69-year-old editor at Tiger Beat, began writing to Ramirez in 1988, while he was awaiting trial for a series of brutal murders in California.
According to Horner, Lioy believed Ramirez was innocent and went to great lengths to defend him, even attempting to contact the media to clear his name. Horner worked with Lioy at the same publishing company, where they both edited magazines featuring teen idols.
The documentary “Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes” is based on 25 hours of audio prison recordings of Ramirez, as well as new sit-downs with relatives and loved ones of the victims. The series explores Ramirez’s crimes, including the murder of 13 people, and the fascination he held over many, including Lioy.
Lioy, who was described as a “superfan” by Horner, would often visit Ramirez at San Quentin Prison, where he was being held. Horner recalled that Lioy was a recluse who lived in a fantasy world and was consumed by her devotion to Ramirez. Lioy would often arrive early at the prison to visit Ramirez, knowing that many other women were eager to see him.
Ramirez’s crimes were gruesome and horrific, including the murder of 9-year-old Mei Leung in 1984. He was convicted of 13 murders and sentenced to death. Despite his heinous crimes, Ramirez had a following of young women admirers who would visit him in prison and send him love notes.
Lioy and Ramirez married in 1996, in a visiting room at San Quentin Prison. The marriage was met with shock and outrage from many, including Horner, who said it was a “bad look” for her friend. The couple did not have conjugal visits, and Lioy distanced herself from Ramirez after police announced that DNA linked him to the 1984 killing of Mei Leung.
Ramirez died in 2013, while awaiting execution. Horner has not been in touch with Lioy in recent years, but would like to sit down with her once more to ask some questions. “Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes” is available for streaming on Peacock.