Richard Ramirez's disturbing love life revealed – from wife Doreen Lioy to his twisted groupies

Richard Ramirez is under renewed scrutiny thanks to Netflix documentary series: Night Stalker.

The serial killer was found guilty of 13 murders, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults and 14 burglaries. Disturbingly, this did not stop a slew of women taking an interest in him after his arrest.

From marriage to the groupies who wrote him letters, we take a look at Ramirez's disturbing love life behind bars...

Richard Ramirez died aged 53 on death row (Credit: Netflix / Screenshot)

Who is Doreen Lioy? The wife of Richard Ramirez

When she began her relationship with Ramirez, Lioy was a freelance teenange magazine editor from Burbank, California. She began sending him dozens of letters in 1985, while he was awaiting trial.

As their relationship developed, she reportedly visited him in prison four times a week. At the time, she claimed to believe that Ramirez was wholly innocent. The pair was wed in 1996, while Ramirez was on death row in California's San Quentin State Prison.

READ MORE: Why do women love serial killers?

Lioy's family disowned her as a result. "It’s unfortunate for me that I’ve been linked with all of this," her twin sister told the San Francisco Examiner in 1996.

"I was taken aback by the news. To be related by birth is fine. I don’t want to be a part of this. It’s been a painful event for the family."

In an interview with the Examiner, Lioy said she loved Ramirez "more than anything in the world. Then, in 1997, Lioy told CNN that "I just believe in him completely". She added: "He's kind, he's funny, he's charming."

However, after 13 years of marriage, Lioy reportedly cut ties with the killer. She did so after DNA evidence was found in 2009, which linked Ramirez to the murder and rape of a nine-year-old girl in 1984.

They separated in 2009. After that, Lioy never spoke publicly about their relationship again. And, she issued no statement when Ramirez died of natural causes in 2013.

There is no information regarding where Lioy is now. And while we know that she worked as a freelance journalist, it's unclear whether she's still working in that field.

Richard Ramirez Ramirez pictured with his wife, Doreen Lioy (Credit: Netflix / Screenshot)

The Night Stalker's relationship with Christine Lee

Ramirez was still getting letters from women after his marriage to Lioy ended.

Shortly after their split, he became engaged to writer, Christine Lee. On his talk show, Geraldo Rivera introduced Lee as Ramirez's fiancée. She claimed that they "never kissed" as their visits took place behind a glass screen.

The pair never tied the knot.

In 2013, Ramirez's niece, Shelly, told the Daily Beast that no one claimed her uncle's body after his death. Instead, a spokesperson from the prison said that Ramirez's body would be cremated if it was not claimed.

The same representative also said that Ramirez wasn't allowed to have personal visits in 2010. And that "the last few years he has refused to visit with everyone."

Richard Ramirez' groupies

Ramirez had a number of female groupies, especially when he was on trial.

One admirer told KRON4 San Francisco during his trial, "I know that he's a nice person," while another corroborated, "I think he's cute."

After his 1989 sentencing, The Los Angeles Times reported that Ramirez had "apparent fans" present. These included a woman wearing a "skin-tight black spandex jumpsuit," who "smiled and waved" at the killer. As can be seen in the Netflix docuseries, the criminal would smile and wave back to these individuals.

"In all my years of covering trials in Los Angeles, I never saw a defendant with more sex appeal than Richard Ramirez," said KTTV reporter, Tony Valdez, in the series.

Richard Ramirez pictured while on trial (Credit: Netflix / Screenshot)

How did Richard Ramirez die?

Ramirez was never executed. While he had been sentenced to die in California's gas chamber on November 7th, 1989, he never made it to the chamber.

Instead, he went onto live out the rest of his 23 years on death row at San Quentin State Prison.

Ramirez died from complications of B-Cell lymphoma in 2013 after spending 23 years on death row.

He had also been affected by chronic Hepatitis C viral infections, and substance abuse. Ramirez was 53-years-old.