Ray Biondi - A Thirst for Blood

A Thirst for Blood

The True Story of Californias Vampire Killer

Lt. Ray Biondi and Walt Hecox

Foreword

The world of the homicide investigator is permeated by the sudden, senseless, and violent deaths which often traumatize entire communities. Ironically, many of these murderous scenarios begin to blend into identifiable patterns and motives for violent behavior. It is the recognition of these patterns and motives that enables professional homicide detectives to effectively investigate murder cases, as well as psychologically cope with the reality of violent death.

V.J.G.

So what happens when within a short span of time there are a series of brutal murders involving sexual mutilation and other atrocities so grotesque and violent that there is absolutely no frame of reference nor rationale to explain their occurrence?

The Dracula Killer vividly presents this scenario to the reader in a series of killings and bizarre lust murders which terrorized the people of Sacramento County, California, and thoroughly perplexed the law enforcement community. This is the story of Richard Trenton Chase, who like a real-life vampire drank the blood of his victims.

It should be noted that the F.B.I.s Behavioral Science Unitrecently made famous by the popular book and movie The Silence of the Lambshas presented their assessment of portions of this case to law enforcement groups across the United States and Canada. In addition, the F.B.I. has also cited segments of the Chase case in their research relative to the phenomenon of serial killers. In fact, this case is the classic example of the Disorganized Serial Killer, (with Ted Bundy being the most accurate example of an Organized Serial Killer).

Now, for the very first time, the facts of this bizarre case are presented to the reader by Detective Lieutenant Ray Biondi, a veteran homicide commander and expert on serial killers, and Walt Hecox, an established journalist.

It was Detective Lieutenant Ray Biondi who actually led the intensive manhunt for Richard Chase, the murderer who was the very personification of the term blood thirsty killer. I doubt youll soon forget this case of The Dracula Killer.

VERNON J. GEBERTH, Lieutenant-Commander (Ret.)

Commanding Officer, Bronx Homicide Task Force N.Y.P.D.

Author of PRACTICAL HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques. Second Edition, 1990.

The Disorganized Offender The disorganized offender is generally a loner type who usually is not married and lives either alone or with a relative in close proximity to the crime scene. He experiences difficulty in negotiating interpersonal relationships and is described as socially inadequate.

He acts impulsively under stress and will usually select a victim from his own geographic area. Generally, he will avoid people and can be described as sexually incompetent, i.e., without any meaningful sexual relationships. He uses a blitz style of attack, which catches the victim off guard. This spontaneous action, in which the offender suddenly acts out his fantasy, does not allow for a conscious plan or even the thought of being detected, which is why the crime scene will be disorganized.

Vernon J. Geberth,

Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures and Forensic Techniques (Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 1990)

Pyramid Lake, Nevada

August 3, 1977

Pyramid Lake gleamed a startling sapphire in the sunlight, basking in the warmth of summer. This piece of Nevada landscape, more desolate than most in the state that embraces sagebrush as its official flower, was no place for a stranded man on foot to be wandering.

Such a mercy mission was what Bureau of Indian Affairs Officer Charles OBrien thought he had undertaken after being advised by radio that a vehicle had apparently been abandoned by a lone man after it was driven into the sand near the shore of the lake.

Pyramid Lake and the land surrounding it are part of the vast Walker River Reservation, populated primarily by members of the Piute Indian tribe.

OBrien, soon joined by other BIA officers and Piute tribal officers, located a silver 1966 Ford Ranchero with expired Florida license tags sunk up to its hubcaps in the desert sands.

Opening the drivers door, OBrien peered inside the cab. On the seat were two weapons: a 30/30 lever-action Marlin rifle loaded with four rounds and a .22 semiautomatic rifle, its clip loaded with two rounds. Both rifles were stained with what appeared to be blood.

A pile of mens clothing and a pair of bloody tennis shoes had been deposited on the seat in a heap, as if someone had undressed in a hurry.

But nothing so far had prepared OBrien for what he found in a white plastic bucket on the floor: a raw, perfectly shaped liver, sitting in a pool of fresh blood! It was a big hunk of meat. OBrien realized with a shudder that one of the few living things big enough to be equipped with this sizable organ was a human being.

These reservation cops knew about busting drunken drivers, breaking up bar fights, and finding lost hikers. But what in Gods name did they have on their hands?

Using high-powered field glasses to scan the horizon, they eventually spotted a man sitting about a half mile to the south. He was perched, stark naked, on a rocky projection that rose well over the high chaparral.

When he saw the officers moving in his direction he quickly slid down off the rocks and raced like a frightened jackrabbit across the white-hot sandsin the opposite direction, away from them. The chase was on.

Two tribal officers in a four-wheel drive caught up with their quarry in no time, took him into custody, and returned to the pickup.

Blood was smeared across his torso and face like Indian war paint. The man was filthy. His hair was long and matted; his skin had the waxen hue that people who seldom see the sun develop. An inch shy of six feet, he was unusually thin, weighing perhaps all of 145 pounds.

Responding to OBriens questions, the subject identified himself as Richard Trenton Chase, age twenty-seven, of Sacramento, California. He confirmed the pickup was his.

Where did the blood come from? OBrien asked.

Its seepingfrom me. The voice was soft, somewhat high-pitched. His eyes darted back and forth.

What were you doing when the truck got stuck?

Just lookin around.

OBrien had the man put his clothes on. As he did, the officer noted that the suspect had crusted blood under his armpits, in his whiskers, and even in his ears.

Now Richard, where did the blood come from?

I shot a deer.

Where?

In Colorado.

When?

Sometime in May.

Obviously, this blood was not three months old.

OBrien informed Chase he was going to be taken to the tribal ranger station for further questioning. The suspect became unruly at that point and had to be physically restrained and placed in the vehicle.

Chase was given his Miranda warning and arrested for a variety of federal gun law violations. Soon he was en route to Washoe County jail in Reno.