Quotes from Philip Carlo

Richard was born on February 29, 1960, at 2:07 A.M.

He'd first make sure the guests were asleep by listening at the window. When he was satisfied, he'd open the door, enter quickly, get down to the ground, and wait, making certain the guests weren't disturbed. Then he'd crawl across the floor, as Mike had taught him, and find the wallets, cash, and watches using a penlight to see.

The right time and place were essential for successful murder. He'd later reveal: To be a good killer you have to plan things out carefully. You've got to be prepared in every way when the moment comes to strike; you cannot hesitate.

The detectives later learned that Phyllis had told Melton that she felt sorry for Richard Ramirez because he hadn't gotten proper representation with the Hernandezes. Melton thought Ramirez was a mad dog that needed killing. An argument ensued, which grew into a senseless murderous rage.

Tynan ruled they would continue with this jury, Richard scowled at the judge and moved about in his chair anxiously, chains rattling. The judge told the jury he was allowing their deliberations go on and read a prepared statement to them, imploring them to put Ms. Singletary's murder behind them. He reiterated her death had nothing to do with the trial and told them about James Melton, his suicide and the note. At 10:45, the jury recommenced its deliberations.

Richard didn't know why he had these uncontrollable desires involving bondage and rape, but they were there, and he had no say over their comings and goings (as with his epileptic attacks). He knew they were wrong—were against the Church—but they, to him, were bigger than the Church, bigger than life itself, and not about to go away.

He read each juror's name: Cynthia Haden, Martha Salcido, Verbe Sutton, Alfredo Carrillo, Arthur Johnson, Lillian Sagron, Felipe Rodriguez, Mary Herrera, Choclate Harris, Arlena Wallace, Don McGee, and Shirley Zelaya.

The judge then read the verdict sheets, announced they were in order, and gave them to Clerk Josephine Williams to be read out loud. Beginning with the Vincow charge, the jury voted guilty on every one of the forty-six counts.

The couple at the hotel lived out of state. They wanted nothing more to do with the incident and wanted to forget the whole ugly affair. They refused to return to El Paso and testify against Richard, and the charges were dropped. Richard received no probation, no therapy, no dialogue with anyone about the demons dancing in his head. Julian, like Mercedes, believed Richard's story and had arranged for a lawyer to represent him.

In El Paso, Mercedes, Julian, and the rest of the Ramirez clan went to church and prayed Richard wouldn't be given the death sentence. In her prayers to Mary, Mercedes explained it was a big, Satan-inspired mistake, that her son could not have done the things they said he'd done, that Satan's hand was at work here. She implored Mary to speak to her son and tell him the truth.

Richard Kuklinski was Roy DeMeo's Luca Brasi.

Mike was released from the Texas State Mental Hospital in late 1977, four and a half years after killing Jessie. The doctors felt he had stabilized and was fit to be returned to society. The doctors reasoned that his not having gotten extensive therapy after the horrors of Vietnam was to blame. He deserved another chance.

Mike explained the concepts of guerilla warfare to Richard and told him more about his sexual conquests in 'Nam. These stories hung inside Richard's head like obscene, perverse paintings. Mike still had the pictures of his conquests, which he showed Richard, and these photographs gave dimension, life, and sustenance to Mike's tales of sexual dominance and sadism and Richard's subsequent fantasies.

Richard, aside from hanging out with Mike, became a loner. He didn't trust people or like them particularly. He perceived society as unfair, vicious, and hostile.

Richard's first day at school was not as a joyous time in the Ramirez household as the other children's had been. None was doing well in school. Joseph and Ruth got by and stayed out of trouble, but Ruben and Robert were always in trouble, getting failing marks and getting into fights.

The Ramirezes first realized Richard was epileptic when he had an attack in the fifth grade.

Richard was a very stubborn child. If he didn't want to do something, he wouldn't do it. His father was the only person he wouldn't argue with. Richard was deathly afraid of Julian's temper and hands.

Richard had grown into a psychotic sadist who had discovered a way to hurt and kill people, and get paid for it. Life was good.

The only exercise I ever got was carrying dead bodies.

That first year in L.A., Richard became addicted to cocaine. It was 1978, and coke was the "in" drug, selling for $100 per gram. This was prior to the Colombian cartels applying modern corporate techniques to the importation and distribution of cocaine in the States, which brought the price of a gram down to thirty-five dollars by the mid-eighties.

With money you were a succesful man, without it you were a failure.

Old habits die hard.

With books he could leave his cell and go wherever the story went.

For dead men tell no tales.