Podcast Summary: Going West: True Crime

Episode 576: The Vampire of Sacramento
Hosts: Daphne Woolsoncroft & Heath Merryman
Release Date: January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

In this haunting episode of Going West, hosts Daphne Woolsoncroft and Heath Merryman deliver a chilling account of the life and crimes of Richard Chase, infamously dubbed the "Vampire of Sacramento." The hosts examine Chase’s deeply troubling background, disturbing mental health struggles, and the horrific murder spree that terrified Sacramento in the late 1970s. The discussion not only details his crimes but also critically addresses the failures of the mental health and criminal justice systems that allowed Chase's descent into depravity. Listeners are thoughtfully warned about the graphic and disturbing content involving both animal cruelty and human violence.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Upbringing and Early Red Flags

• Family Background ([03:31]):
  • Richard Chase was born in 1950 in Sacramento, California.
  • His father, Richard Sr., was described as strict and physically abusive.
  • Financial strain and marital strife defined his childhood, eventually leading to a temporary family split.
• Early Behavioral Issues ([05:07]):
  • Chase demonstrated the “Macdonald triad” of bedwetting, animal cruelty, and fire-setting.
  • At age 10, his mother, Beatrice, suspected him of killing neighborhood pets but was too afraid to confront him.
    • "She felt so afraid of that idea...she didn't confront her 10 year old son about it because she was worried he was gonna say, 'Yes, I did that.'" ([07:04] – Daphne)

2. Mental Health Decline and Lack of Intervention

• Escalating Problems ([11:28]):
  • In his teens and twenties, Richard’s drug use, erratic behavior, and inability to function intensified.
  • He moved between various unstable living situations, increasingly isolating himself.
• Psychiatric Struggles ([13:46]):
  • Multiple encounters with law enforcement; he began exhibiting severe paranoia, believing he was poisoned, and started compulsively seeking medical help.
  • At age 23, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, but genuine and sustained treatment was delayed or denied due to family denial and lack of resources.
• Systemic Failures ([28:17]):
  • Mental health staff at Beverly Manor psychiatric unit were acutely aware of his dangers, predicting his escalation:
    • "[I] told my supervisors...Richard Chase...would graduate to larger animals and eventually to people unless his, you know, mental illness was checked...it was going to take some intensive care." ([28:33] – Nurse Art)
  • Restrictions on holding patients led to his release despite staff objections.
    • "He never should have been turned loose back into society." ([31:09] – Gene, caregiver)

3. Descent into Violence

• Animal Cruelty Escalates ([22:26], [35:48]):
  • Richard shifted from drinking rabbit blood to killing and consuming various animals, including family pets and livestock.
  • His beliefs grew more delusional: e.g., placing orange slices on his head to "absorb nutrients" ([19:29]).
• Breakdown in Family Support ([32:43]):
  • Beatrice, believing medication "dulled" him, withdrew his antipsychotics, catalyzing his full relapse and isolation.
  • His relationship with his mother soured; he was eventually banned from family gatherings ([40:49]).

4. The Murder Spree

• First Kill – Ambrose Griffin ([42:34]):
  • Random shooting in December 1977; victim was unloading groceries in his driveway.
  • Police initially thought the shooting could have been accidental until a pattern emerged.
• Escalation of Violence ([45:27], [46:34], [51:38]):
  • January 1978, break-ins and horrifying murders followed:
    • Teresa Wallin: Pregnant woman killed and mutilated, blood consumed; shocking post-mortem desecration.
    • Evelyn Miroth's Family: Home invasion where multiple family members, including a 22-month-old boy, were brutally killed and mutilated.
    • Buckets of blood, sexual assault, and cannibalistic acts were part of his rituals.
    • "Richard's crimes were clearly intensifying in severity and depravity..." ([49:52] – Heath)
• “Vampire” Myth vs. Reality ([48:06]):
  • While the media dubbed him a "vampire," his bloodlust was rooted in delusional attempts to cure imagined illnesses, not fascination with vampire folklore.

5. Police Investigation and Capture

• Manhunt and Profile ([54:24]):
  • FBI’s psychological profile matched Chase almost perfectly: thin, malnourished loner with mental illness.
  • Witnesses, including a high school acquaintance, identified him; evidence (space, disheveled appearance, orange coat) all pointed to him.
• Arrest ([56:10]):
  • Police surrounded his apartment; Chase was found with blood-soaked rags, murder victims’ belongings, and a .22 caliber gun matching the crime scenes.
  • Inside, police found a scene of utter horror: animal body parts, human remains, blood in the blender, brain matter on the bed.

6. Trial, Sociopathy, and Death

• Prosecution and Mental Illness Debate ([59:08]):
  • Defense pleaded insanity, but Chase’s acts (wearing gloves, cleaning weapons) suggested awareness of wrongdoing.
    • "He was also trying to cover his tracks and cover up the crimes." ([59:36] – Heath)
• Death ([61:09]):
  • Sentenced to death row but died by suicide in prison, stockpiling medication and entering a self-inflicted overdose.
  • "Richard Chase ended up being poisoned to death...I was just relieved he was gone." ([63:10] – Det. Ray Biondi)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Family Denial and Systemic Failure:
  • "He needed extensive care. He was not receiving as much care as he should have gotten or could have gotten. And the whole thing is just a tragedy."
    — Gene, former caregiver ([29:54])
  • "If Richard Chase isn't insane, I don't know what insane is."
    — Daphne ([63:30])
• On the Aftermath and Horror:
  • "The most grotesque slayings that he had seen in nearly 30 years on the force."
    — Sacramento County Sheriff ([53:47])
• On the Chilling Escalation:
  • “His activities just keep progressing and progressing, and they will continue.”
    — Heath ([39:01])
  • “There is that word—chaos. A police sketch…was released.”
    — Daphne, remarking on how the police and the hosts describe the randomness and frenetic nature of Chase’s crimes ([54:24–54:44])

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:31] – Childhood context & early signs of disorder
• [11:28] – High school and post-high school mental health decline
• [13:46] – Onset of severe paranoia and schizophrenic symptoms
• [22:26] – First blood-drinking incidents; transition to animal abuse
• [28:17] – Psychiatric staff warnings about Chase
• [35:48] – Further animal cruelty, estrangement from family
• [40:49] – Banned from family holidays, immediate lead-up to murder spree
• [42:34] – The first human victim: Ambrose Griffin
• [46:34] – The murder of Teresa Wallin—detailed walkthrough
• [51:38] – The massacre at Evelyn Miroth’s home
• [53:47] – Law enforcement’s reaction and FBI involvement
• [54:24] – FBI psychological profiling, tip leads, and identification
• [56:10] – The dramatic arrest and apartment search
• [58:30] – Trial, insanity defense, and Chase’s fate
• [63:10] – Reflections on his death and its grim irony

Hosts’ Tone & Final Thoughts

Daphne and Heath alternate between clinical assessment and palpable disgust, openly reflecting on the tragic mixture of mental health failure, family denial, and raw violence. They emphasize compassion for the victims and are careful—but unflinching—in their retelling of events. The episode closes on a note of disbelief at the horror of Chase’s actions and frustration at the systemic breakdowns that let him slip through.

For Listeners

This episode is a challenging, graphic journey through one of America’s most disturbing criminal cases, handled with measured care by the hosts. It is essential and sobering listening for true crime fans interested in the nexus of mental illness, violence, and investigative failure.