On January 27, 1978, in Sacramento, California, 38-year-old Evelyn Miroth became one of the final victims of Richard Chase, infamously known as the "Vampire of Sacramento." Chase entered Miroth's home, where she was present with her six-year-old son, Jason, her 22-month-old nephew, David Ferreira, and a friend, Dan Meredith. Chase shot Meredith in the hallway, then proceeded to assault and murder Miroth. He mutilated her body, removing several organs and collecting her blood.
Jason was also found shot to death, and David was initially missing; his decapitated remains were discovered months later behind a church near Chase's apartment.
Prior to this incident, Chase had exhibited increasingly violent behavior. On January 23, 1978, he murdered Teresa Wallin, a pregnant woman, in her home, committing similar acts of mutilation and cannibalism. His killing spree began on December 29, 1977, with the drive-by shooting of Ambrose Griffin. Chase's actions were driven by severe mental illness, including hypochondria and paranoid delusions, leading him to believe that consuming blood would prevent his own death.
Following the murders on January 27, authorities intensified their investigation. Chase was apprehended shortly after, and a search of his apartment revealed evidence of his crimes, including blood-stained utensils and human remains. In 1979, he was tried and convicted of six counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. However, on December 26, 1980, Chase died by suicide in his cell at San Quentin State Prison.
