Richard Ramirez’ Unlucky Fantasy on The Dating Game
Richard Ramirez, an American serial killer, rapist and burglar, made a dubious appearance on the popular 70’s game show ‘The Dating Game’. He was an unlikely suitor, as this appearance occurred while he was in the process of committing some of the most gruesome offences in the history of California.
Dating Games Appearance
In December 1984, the Dating Game provided a ray of hope for a young Richard Ramirez. He was 25 years old and had already been behind bars multiple times for suspicious activities. Yet he still thought he had a chance at love.
The then-host Jim Lange introduced him with some fanfare. Ramirez was dressed in a black leather jacket and a dapper pink shirt and sported well-groomed wavy hair. His distinctive features were a stark contrast to the other contestants.
Unfortunately for Ramirez, he failed to be the chosen date and failed to win the $750 first prize. The winner of the show, contestant Cheryl Bradshaw, was fortunate enough not to meet Ramirez as she declined.
His Monstrous Activities
It is fortunate indeed that Cheryl declined to meet Ramirez, because unbeknownst to the studio and its viewers, he was in the throes of his reign of terror throughout California. He became known as the notorious ‘Night Stalker’ and it is estimated that he murdered a total of 13 people.
Ramirez also committed more than 50 home invasions and assaulted numerous people. He committed rape, torture and theft which terrorized locals from San Francisco to Los Angeles.Possibly the most recogizable evidence was Ramirez’s signature of cruelly leaving a pentagram on his victims.
Ramirez’s Conclusions
In 1989, Ramirez was found guilty on all charges and was sentenced to 19 death sentences and life in prison without parole. He passed away in 2013 due to complications of B-cell lymphoma.
For some reason, Ramirez thought he had a chance of winning ‘The Dating Game’. But his criminal activities had already caught up with him, and although he managed to win the hearts of the enthusiastic studio audience, lady luck was not on his side.
