Okay, let’s examine the rather messy case of Richard Trenton Chase, a man whose dietary choices strayed considerably from the conventional, earning him the somewhat sensationalized moniker, “The Vampire of Sacramento.” His brief but profoundly unpleasant spree left a trail of gore and baffling pathology.

Richard Trenton Chase: Profile of a Disorganized Predator

• Alias: “The Vampire of Sacramento”, “Dracula” (in institutional settings)
• Classification: Spree Killer
• Offense Characteristics: Paranoid Schizophrenia, Somatic Delusions, Hypochondria, Substance Abuse, Necrophilia, Cannibalism (specifically blood drinking and organ consumption), Mutilation, Zoosadism.
• Victim Count: 6 Confirmed
• Killing Period: December 1977 – January 1978
• Date of Apprehension: January 28, 1978
• Date of Birth: May 23, 1950
• Victim Demographics:
  • Ambrose Griffin (51)
  • Teresa Wallin (22, pregnant)
  • Evelyn Miroth (38)
  • Jason Miroth (6, Evelyn’s son)
  • David Ferreira (22 months, Evelyn’s nephew)
  • Dan Meredith (51, family friend)
• Methodology: Shooting (primarily .22 caliber handgun), followed by extensive post-mortem mutilation, stabbing, exsanguination, organ removal, necrophilia, and cannibalism.
• Location: Sacramento County, California, USA
• Status: Sentenced to death (May 8, 1979). Died by suicide (overdose of prescribed antidepressants) on December 26, 1980, in San Quentin State Prison.

The Making of a “Vampire”: Psychological Degradation

Richard Chase’s early life reads like a checklist for potential future violence, albeit one filtered through severe mental illness rather than simple malice.

• Formative Years: Born May 23, 1950, Chase’s childhood reportedly featured a strict, authoritarian father and significant parental discord. Early behavioral flags included pyromania and cruelty to animals, notably killing cats by age ten. Standard teenage rebellion involved alcohol and drug use, apparently without significant remorse when caught.
• Early Adulthood & Psychosexual Issues: Attempts at dating were hampered by erectile dysfunction, a problem that prompted psychiatric consultation at eighteen. The psychiatrist noted repressed anger and suspected a significant underlying mental illness, though commitment wasn’t recommended at that stage. This sexual dysfunction likely fueled later paraphilias, shifting arousal towards violence and the macabre.
• Manifestation of Psychosis: After leaving home, Chase cycled through roommates alarmed by his escalating drug use and bizarre behavior (e.g., nailing a closet shut against perceived invaders). He developed profound hypochondria and somatic delusions: believing his pulmonary artery was stolen, bones were extruding from his skull, his stomach was inverted, and his heart frequently stopped. A diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia emerged, complicated by potential drug-induced toxic psychosis. Brief observations and recommendations for longer stays proved ineffective, as he could leave freely.
• The Blood Fixation: Living alone, supported financially by his estranged parents, Chase’s delusions coalesced around his cardiovascular system. He began capturing or buying rabbits, disemboweling them, and consuming their entrails raw or blended into grotesque “smoothies.” This practice stemmed from the delusional belief that his blood was turning to powder and his heart was shrinking; consuming blood and organs was, in his mind, necessary for survival. An attempt to inject rabbit blood resulted in severe blood poisoning, reinforcing his bizarre health fears rather than deterring him.

Institutionalization: A Revolving Door of Ineffectiveness

Chase’s escalating pathology led to inevitable, though ultimately futile, institutional interventions.

• Commitment & “Dracula”: Eventually committed as a schizophrenic with somatic delusions, attempts to treat him with anti-psychotic medication failed, potentially indicating the psychosis was primarily drug-precipitated or unusually resistant. He escaped in 1976, was returned, and ended up at Beverly Manor, where his continued talk of killing animals and an incident involving dead birds and blood around his mouth earned him the nickname “Dracula.” This phase exhibited characteristics sometimes labeled “Renfield Syndrome” – a clinical vampirism characterized by blood consumption.
• Release & Parental Negligence: Despite clear indicators of severe disturbance, Chase was eventually released, deemed “no longer a danger.” His parents obtained a conservatorship but, astonishingly, his mother decided he didn’t need his anti-schizophrenic medication and weaned him off it herself. When the conservatorship expired in 1977, they failed to renew it, leaving Chase completely unsupervised and untreated. His mother’s reaction (or lack thereof) to him graphically dismembering a cat on her doorstep further underscores the familial failure to address his dangerous state.
• The Pyramid Lake Incident: In August 1977, Chase was found nude, covered in blood, near his vehicle stuck in sand by Pyramid Lake, Nevada. The truck contained rifles, blood smears, and a bucket containing a cow’s liver. He claimed the blood was his own, having “seeped out.” This bizarre episode resulted in his arrest but apparently little long-term consequence.

Escalation to Homicide: The Spree Begins

Unmedicated, unsupervised, and steeped in delusion, Chase’s fixation shifted from animals to humans. His fascination with firearms grew, alongside an interest in the contemporaneous Hillside Strangler case.

• Target Practice: On December 27, 1977, a shot was fired into a Sacramento home near the future Griffin murder scene. Ballistics later matched this to the murder weapon.
• Murder 1: Ambrose Griffin (December 29, 1977): A seemingly random drive-by shooting. Griffin was shot with a .22 caliber handgun while bringing groceries into his home. Initially mistaken for a heart attack, the homicide was confirmed later. This appeared to be a low-interaction “warm-up” killing.
• Intrusions & Bizarre Behavior: Leading up to the next murders, Chase exhibited increasingly erratic behavior: accosting neighbors (Dawn Larson), attempting home entries (Jeanne Layton – notably thwarted by locked doors), and burglarizing a home (Robert and Barbara Edwards) where, beyond theft, he urinated in a baby clothes drawer and defecated on a child’s bed – signs of extreme disorganization and degradation. His later statement to the FBI that locked doors meant he “wasn’t welcome” provides a chilling insight into his detached, opportunistic approach.

The Mutilation Murders: Wallin & Miroth Households

Chase’s methodology escalated dramatically in late January 1978, marked by extreme violence, mutilation, and the enactment of his blood-consumption fantasies.

• Murder 2: Teresa Wallin (January 23, 1978): Finding Wallin’s door unlocked (she was taking out trash), Chase entered 2360 Tioga Way. He shot the three-months-pregnant woman three times with his .22. He then dragged her body to the bedroom, engaged in necrophilia, stabbed the corpse repeatedly, and performed crude excisions of internal organs (spleen, intestines, kidneys, pancreas). He reportedly used a yogurt container to collect and drink her blood, smeared blood on himself, and, in a final act of degradation, stuffed dog feces into her mouth.
• Murders 3-6: The Miroth Household (January 27, 1978): Four days later, Chase entered the home of Evelyn Miroth (38) at 2600 Don Court. Inside were Miroth, her son Jason (6), her nephew David Ferreira (22 months), and family friend Dan Meredith (51).
  • Dan Meredith: Shot in the head upon encountering Chase in the hallway. Chase stole his wallet and keys.
  • Jason Miroth: Shot twice in the head at close range in his mother’s bedroom.
  • Evelyn Miroth: Shot in the head, likely while bathing. Her body was dragged to the bed, sodomized extensively (indicated by large semen deposits), stabbed multiple times (including through the anus into the uterus), her neck slashed, and an eye partially excised. Chase again collected and consumed blood, leaving characteristic bloody rings on the carpet.
  • David Ferreira (Baby): Shot in the head in his crib. Chase mutilated the baby’s body in the bathroom, consuming parts of the brain. Interrupted by a knock at the door (a child arriving for a playdate), Chase fled in Meredith’s stolen station wagon, taking the baby’s body with him.

Modus Operandi & Criminal Profile Analysis

Richard Chase exemplifies the disorganized spree killer.

• Victim Selection: Primarily opportunistic, based on perceived vulnerability (unlocked doors). No clear demographic targeting beyond availability.
• Method: Initial incapacitation via shooting (.22 handgun), followed by extensive post-mortem activity driven by severe psychosis and paraphilias.
• Crime Scene: Chaotic and sloppy, leaving abundant evidence (fingerprints, footprints, blood, semen). Little to no attempt at concealment. Acts like defecating/urinating at scenes further point to disorganization and psychological disturbance.
• Motivation: Primarily driven by complex delusions (need for blood/organs to survive) intertwined with necrophilia and potentially sexual sadism (though the primary driver appears delusional).
• Geographic Profile: Crimes occurred within a relatively confined area of Sacramento, suggesting he operated near his residence. Lack of sophisticated planning.

Investigation and Capture: Closing In

Despite the chaos, Chase’s lack of precaution facilitated his capture.

• FBI Profile: Agents Robert Ressler and Russ Vorpagel developed an accurate profile: white male, mid-twenties, thin/undernourished, likely unemployed or menially employed, history of mental illness/drug use, loner, living alone near the crime scenes, disorganized domicile, high likelihood of re-offending.
• Key Leads:
  • Recovery of Meredith’s stolen car near Chase’s apartment complex.
  • Witness sightings and descriptions, particularly Nancy Holden’s encounter recognizing the disheveled Chase from high school and noting his orange parka (matching descriptions near crime scenes).
  • Gun registration records linking a .22 caliber handgun purchase to Richard Chase at his Watt Avenue address.
• Apprehension (January 28, 1978): Acting on tips and records, detectives staked out Chase’s apartment. He refused to answer the door, but was apprehended when he emerged carrying a box. He struggled violently. Bloodstains were evident on his clothing and shoes. The .22 handgun and Dan Meredith’s wallet were found on his person. The box contained bloodied rags and paper.
• Apartment Search: The search of Chase’s apartment revealed a scene of utter squalor and horror. Blood stained nearly everything. Body parts (including human brain tissue) were found in containers in the refrigerator. A blood-caked blender, pet collars (without pets), diagrams of human organs, and a calendar marked “Today” on murder dates (and ominously, on 44 future dates) were discovered.

Trial and Legal Maneuvers

The trial grappled with the distinction between profound mental illness and legal insanity.

• Charges: Six counts of first-degree murder.
• Prosecution (Ronald W. Tochterman): Sought the death penalty, arguing Chase, despite his illness, understood the wrongfulness of his actions and made choices (e.g., bringing gloves, selecting unlocked doors). Emphasized the planning involved in acquiring weapons and the sadistic nature of the post-mortem acts.
• Defense (Farris Salamy): Pleaded Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. Focused on Chase’s documented history of severe paranoid schizophrenia, delusions, institutionalizations, and lack of adequate supervision/treatment. Argued his actions were compelled by his psychotic state, aiming for a second-degree murder verdict to avoid execution.
• Evidence: Overwhelming physical evidence (gun, wallet, crime scene forensics, apartment contents), witness testimony, and Chase’s own partial admissions (though often filtered through delusion). Chase testified, appearing emaciated and disturbed, admitting to blood drinking but claiming limited recall and attributing problems to teenage sexual issues.
• Verdict (May 8, 1979): Guilty on all six counts of first-degree murder after five hours of deliberation.
• Sanity Phase: The jury found Chase legally sane after only an hour.
• Sentence: Death by gas chamber after four hours of penalty phase deliberation.

Final Disposition: Suicide in San Quentin

Chase’s end was as grimly mundane as his crimes were bizarrely horrific.

• Prison Life: Feared by other inmates due to the nature of his crimes, Chase was often urged to kill himself. He continued to exhibit profound psychosis, granting interviews to Robert Ressler where he elaborated on his Nazi/UFO/soap-dish poisoning delusions, insisting he killed only to survive and seeking help to capture the “real culprits.” A brief transfer to a psychiatric facility occurred, but he was returned to San Quentin’s death row.
• Suicide (December 26, 1980): Found unresponsive in his cell, Chase died from a self-administered overdose of Sinequan, an antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication prescribed in prison, which he had apparently been hoarding. The autopsy ironically revealed his heart to be physically normal.

Bibliography

• Biondi, Ray, and Walt Hecox. The Dracula Killer: The True Story of California’s Vampire Killer. Pocket Books, 1992.
• Ressler, Robert K., and Tom Shachtman. Whoever Fights Monsters. St. Martin’s Press, 1992. (Contains Ressler’s firsthand account of interviewing Chase).
• Schechter, Harold, and David Everitt. The A to Z Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. Pocket Books, 1996.
• Douglas, John E., and Mark Olshaker. Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Scribner, 1995. (Discusses the profiling techniques applied).
• Court Transcripts and Police Reports, California v. Richard Trenton Chase, Sacramento County Superior Court & Santa Clara County Superior Court (1979). (Access typically restricted).
• Academic Journals: Journal of Forensic Sciences, American Journal of Psychiatry. (Contain studies on paranoid schizophrenia, criminal psychopathology, and disorganized homicide).