1. Richard Trenton
Chase
“The Vampire of Sacramento”
Freak of the Week

2. Born in Santa Clara
in 1950, Chase was
beaten and abused
by his mother.
McDonald triad by
age 10: pyromania,
zoosadism, and
nocturnal enuresis.

3. Adolescence
Known as an alcoholic and chronic drug
abuser in high school.
Developed erectile dysfunction as a
result of “psychological problems
stemming from repressed anger”,
according to his therapist at this time.

4. Developed hypochondria; would
complain that his “heart stopped
beating” or that his “pulmonary artery
had been stolen.”
Believed his mother was trying to
poison him.
Moved in with friends; they thought he
was weird.

5. Alone in the apartment, Chase began
capturing animals to drink their blood
and eat their organs.
He believed this prevented his heart
from shrinking.
He injected rabbit’s blood into his veins
and became sick. At the hospital, he
volunteered to become institutionalized.

6. Mental health staff argued whether he
was schizophrenic or whether he
suffered from drug-induced psychosis.
After two institutions, in 1976, he was
released, deemed no longer a danger to
society.
His first confirmed victim was a drive-by
shooting of a man in December, 1977.

7. He attacked others, but did not kill
again until stalking a three-month
pregnant woman. He shot her three
times, had sex with the corpse,
mutilated the body, and bathed in her
blood.
!

8. Terry Wallin

9. Six days later he committed his
final murders.
He entered a woman’s home and
killed a visiting neighbor, the
woman, her six-year-old son, and
his 22-month-old cousin.
As with his first female victim, he
engaged in necrophilia and
cannibalism.

10. At the home, Chase
left perfect
handprints and
perfect imprints of his
shoes.
He carried away the
neighbor’s body and
portions of the
infant’s.

11. FBI Profile
By Agent Russ Vorpagel:
White male, aged 25 27 years; thin, undernourished
appearance. Residence will be extremely slovenly and
unkempt and evidence of the crime will be found at the
residence. History of mental illness, and will have been
involved in use of drugs. Will be a loner who does not
associate with either males or females, and will probably
spend a great deal of time in his own home, where he lives
alone. Unemployed. Possibly receives some form of
disability money. If residing with anyone, it would be
with his parents; however, this is unlikely. No prior
military record; high school or college dropout. Probably
suffering from one or more forms of paranoid psychosis.

12. Convicted of six murders, Chase was
sentenced to death.
In jail, he hoarded macaroni and cheese,
believing the warden was in league with
Nazis and was trying to poison him.
He was found dead one morning, having
saved his jail-prescribed anti-depressants
for two weeks and overdosing on them.