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The Vampire Killer: Richard Chase

Richard Chase, aka the “Vampire Killer,” was an American serial killer who terrorized Sacramento, California citizens in the late 1970s. His story is often reported because of his troublesome past, mental health issues, drug and alcohol usage and how his behavior became increasingly violent over time. Looking into his life gives us an insight into some of the elements that may have affected his actions, but none of these can justify the crimes he did. Richard Chase was born on May 23, 1950, in Sacramento, California to Richard Chase Sr. and Beatrice Chase. His dad worked on computers and his mum was a schoolteacher. As a toddler Richard had appeared to be a normal boy. His teachers claimed he was a charming, well-behaved boy. He got along well with other classmates, liked sports and was regularly invited to birthday parties and friends' homes. But home life was another story. His father was a harsh guy, said to have been physically and emotionally abusive against Richard. His mother was also abused in his family. Later, Richard's sister Pamela would describe their father as abusive toward Richard. This resulted in Richard growing up in a stressful and uncertain home. As he got older, he began to display some worrying habits. It is said that Richard was initiated to animal mistreatment at the age of ten. Once he had slain a stray cat and buried it in the house garden. His family noticed some of his weird behavior, but they didn’t seem to grasp how awful it could grow. At the same time, his parents were falling apart. His father was always intoxicated and used to attack the family. Finally, Richard’s parents separated and divorced. The family became more and more divided, and Richard received less care and supervision. As he reached into his teens he became more and more reclusive and had problems with relationships. He also went out with a girl named Libby Christopher for around two years, but the relationship broke up in the end.

Richard started having serious problems of body and mind as a young adult. He was diagnosed with erectile dysfunction and came to feel that he did not have enough blood in the body. He had the crazy notion that if he drank animal blood he would grow better. He was arrested for narcotics in 1971 and thereafter had issues with drugs and alcohol. His drug use only destabilized his life. He also got very worried about his health and began to make weird assertions about his body like the idea that his heart had stopped beating. He grew more and more certain of his ideas on blood and started butchering animals, thinking they would do some good for his health. Chase was put into a psychiatric hospital in 1973. His strange animal behavior earned him the nickname of 'Dracula'. He was eventually freed from hospital, but his condition kept deteriorating. He moved back to live with his parents for a time but still had behavioral problems. In 1976 Chase’s father came to his flat and discovered Chase very sick. When he tried to smear himself with animal blood, doctors recognized he had poisoned himself with blood. His parents kept supporting him financially, paying for his flat, his bills and his groceries. He also had a few housemates, but they eventually moved away because they were uncomfortable with his conduct, lousy cleanliness and drug and alcohol use. By August 1977, Chase was far more troubling. Police found animal remains and blood in his car. He told them it was from a cow and let it go. This is when he got interested in guns and started using them on animals.

His anger peaked in murder December 29, 1977. Chase proceeded to an area near East Sacramento and tracked out 51-year-old Ambrose Griffin. Griffin worked as an engineer and had two children of his own. Chase shot him dead. This was the first homicide reported by Chase and it showed the rise of his hostile conduct from animals to humans. Two weeks later, Chase tried to enter a woman’s house through a backyard entrance. He went out and locked the door after him. Later he said he took a locked door to mean he was not welcome and an unlocked door to mean he could come in. And so, he began to look for places with open doors, a vital conviction. He had entered David and Teresa Wallin’s home in January 1978. Her husband was at work, and she was alone at home, three months pregnant. She'd taken the trash out a minute ago and left the door unlocked. Chase entered the home with his .22 pistol and attacked Teresa who was killed. “This was a very disturbing crime and showed just how far his behavior had gone. Two days later Chase bought two dogs from a neighbor and killed them. After a few periods he entered through an unlocked door into the house of 38-year-old Evelyn Miroth. Miroth was at home with her son, who was 6, and her nephew, who was 22 months old. Neighbor Dan Meredith was there too. Chase shot Meredith when he found him in the house and then attacked the other people in the house. The killings were the final act of Chase’s brief but highly lethal murdering spree. The animal mistreatment, the odd views, the drug and alcohol use, the increasing social isolation —all of these factors culminated in him committing violence against many people.

The killings sent shockwaves through the Sacramento community and spurred a massive police investigation. Chase was subsequently identified and detained. His mental health was a big part of the evidence throughout his trial, and his lawyer argued his terrible mental health issue affected his understanding of what he was doing. He, however, was tried and condemned to death. The case of Richard Chase is disturbing but may also be analyzed to learn how various situations lead to the development of hazardous behavior. His childhood, his substance usage, his mental health concerns and his social isolation were all key parts of his biography. But don’t assume that childhood mistreatment or mental health problems are a cause for violence. Most of those folks with these problems don't conduct violent crime. There were a complex set of circumstances and choices that led to Chase’s conduct. His case is a lesson in the importance of detecting big warning indicators and providing necessary support before risky behavior spirals out of control.