#18 - Gil Carrillo (Night Stalker Co-Lead Detective)

Gil Carrillo is the legendary homicide detective that played a key role in taking down one of America's most notorious serial killers, Richard Ramirez, aka "The Night Stalker."Gil shares memories and details of investigating the Ramirez murders, the detective work involved, and his partnership with Frank Salerno.

We discuss LA’s infamous crime waves– including Charles Manson, The Hillside Stranglers, and The Toolbox Killers. Gil reflects back on Ramirez’s capture, bizarre courtroom controversies, Satanic cult connections, and how the case deeply impacted Gil’s life.

Details of crime scenes, critical breakthroughs, media leaks, and jurisdictional beef, Ramirez's strange life in prison, groupies at trial, and the Netflix documentary aftermath that catapulted Gil into newfound fame.

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00:00:00 – Intro, Drinks, Vegas vs. LA

00:03:22 – Gil’s Netflix Fame and Hanging with George Lopez

00:08:24 – Troubled Youth, Vietnam, Crime Psychology and Criminal Investigation Classes in College, Getting Into Law Enforcement

00:19:10 –LA’s Dark History: Manson, Hillside Strangler, The Sunset Strip Killers, The Toolbox Killers. Working with Frank Salerno and the Night Stalker Movie "Manhunt"

00:24:49 – Gil’s First Night Stalker Crime Scene and Investigation Methods: Dayle Okazaki, Maria Hernandez, Tsai-Lian Yu, and Jennie Vincow

00:29:20 – Chaos Intensifies: The Zazzara's, Doi's, Patty Elaine Higgins, & Mary Cannon. Finding the Avia Footprint and Jurisdictional Conflicts

00:33:29 – Attempted Break-In at a Fellow Cop's House: Deputy John Rodriguez, Whitney Bennet, Mable Bell & Nettie Lang – Richard Ramirez's Inconsistencies and Gil's "One-Man Theory"

00:38:35 – Ramirez Nearly Caught, Dental Evidence, and Connecting Unsolved Murders

00:43:47 – Gil's Family, Emotional Netflix Moment, and Awesome Shirt

00:57:52 – Media Informants, Leaked Evidence, and the Pan Murders

01:08:03 – Starting the Task Force: The Petersen's and Abowath's - Gil's Family Leaving In Fear, Thinking Night Stalker Was In His House

01:16:12 – Adjusting to the Violence, Attending Autopsies by Policy, Pressure to Solve the Case, Attaining the Picture of Richard Ramirez That Led to His Capture, San Francisco Murders, and Seizing Victims' Stolen Property

01:24:51 – Catching the Night Stalker, Informant Dies, Hubbard Street, Speaking With Richard Ramirez, "Don't Judge A Book By His Cover"

01:38:52 – Evidence Thrown Out, Bunk Informants, The Trial Circus, Jury Member Who Had Heart Eyes for Richard, Night Stalker Fan Girls, Anton LaVey and Satanists In Court

01:42:46 – What Richard Ramirez Was Like In San Quentin, Befriending the Toolbox Killer

01:45:57 – Trial Controversies, Tainted Line-Up, Guilty: Sentenced to Death, OJ Simpson

01:55:47 – Netflix & Peacock's Documentaries, The Aftermath, Having a Morose Sense of Humor

02:02:18 – Gil's Social Media, Responding to Fans, and Hate Mail

02:04:06 – Outro

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