'Night Stalker' Suspected in 1984 Murder

An infamous serial killer who has been on death row for 20 years is now a suspect in a long-unsolved murder of a 9-year-old California girl. Richard Ramirez, known as the "Night Stalker," is suspected in the death of Mei Leung in San Francisco in 1984.

Investigators DNA evidence found at the Leung crime scene 25 years ago was linked to a sample from Ramirez in the CODIS database.

For 25 years, the case of Mei Leung's death haunted San Francisco police homicide Inspector Holly Pera, who was a rookie patrol cop when Leung was killed April 10, 1984, in the basement of a residential hotel in San Francisco's Tenderloin district.

"I was a new police officer at the time. That's part of the reason that the case was relooked at," Pera told reporters. "It's the type of case as a new officer, a case involving a little girl, that you don't forget."

DNA Extracted From Crime Scene

Five years ago, Pera re-opened the cold case. Crime lab technicians were able to extract DNA samples from items collected from Leung crime scene. Pera would not say what the items were.

Last week, Pera and her partner, Inspector Joseph Toomey, served a warrant at San Quentin to retrieve a confirmation DNA sample from Ramirez. Pera said Ramirez was cooperative, but made to statement.

Although the murders that gave Ramirez the name "Night Stalker," were committed in the Los Angeles area, he was also suspected of other murders in northern California, but he was never tried for those crimes after his death penalty conviction in 1989.

If his DNA sample matches the sample from the crime scene, the district attorney will then decide whether or not to press charges in the Leung case.

See Also:
Serial Killer Named Suspect in 1984 Calif. Killing

Background:
Profile: Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker

What Is Your Opinion?
Discuss The Mei Leung Case

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^{Photo: Mug Shot}