Richard Chase By: Emily Wagner

Backround Born in Santa Clara California Abused by his mother as a child By the Age of 10 Richard has exhibited of the Macdonald trial (Having behavioral characteristics such as cruelty to animals) He was known as an alcoholic and drug user to his peers He developed Hypochondria ( the fear of getting a severe illness or disease) He left his mothers house as a young adult in fear because he thought she was trying to poison him Lived in an apartment with his friends: Chase’s roommates complained about him always being intoxicated on alcohol, marijuana and LSD. He also walked around nude all the time. Chase’s friends asked him to leave and he didn’t so all of his roommates moved out causing him to have the apartment to himself Once being alone, he would capture, kill various animals and put their organs in a blender with coca-cola and drinking it to cause his heart not to shrink He was takes to a mental hospital and was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic (is a mental disorder characterized by a breakdown in thinking and poor emotional responses.) Chase was later released under his mother, his mother got him off medication and bought him is own apartment

Richard wasn’t a criminal all his life, he just had trouble with diseases and medical issues that caused him to do some unusual things

Crimes Richard was known for committing murder 6 times in the span of a month His first murder was a drive by shooting killing a 51 year old father of two. Two weeks later he tired to enter and home of a woman. He was chased off by a returning couple as he was taking belongings and urinating all over beds and clothing Richard next waited at another woman's house who was 3 months pregnant at the time and shot her 3 times when she returned to her house. He then raped her corpse and removed multiple organs, cut off her breasts and drank her blood. His final murders occurred when entering the home of 38 year old and shot him, stole his car keys and wallet and then shot his wife, 6 year old son and 22 moth old nephew. Richard engaged in Necrophilia ( Sexual attraction to corpses) and cannibalism ( the act of eating human flesh)

Evidence In his most recent murder he had his handprints or footprints in the blood of the people he killed He was reported by the neighbors of the family

Sentences Richard stood on six accounts of murder To avoid his death penalty he tried to get accused of second degree murder which would only be a life sentence in jail. The case hinged on Richard's history of mental illnesses He got charged with six accounts of first degree murder and was sentenced to die in the gas chamber His imamates were scared of Richards and didn’t agree with his sentence to death in the gas chambers so they often tried to talk Richard into committing suicide Richard was found In his cell laying awkwardly not breathing. He committed suicide by over dosing his prescribed pills the doctors were giving him

Nicknames Vampire of Sacramento Dracula

Movies and Books Movie Rampage in 1987 was loosely based on Richards crimes Deadly Obsessions was a two hour documentary on Richard Chase in 2011 CSI and Criminal Minds episodes Blood Hungry and Justice is served are based off of his crimes

I think that Richard Chase’s behavior was based off of the Sociological theory of “Labeling.” Richard grew up with his mom and had Hypochondrias which is a disorder where he is afraid of getting sick or getting a disease. I think because he was labeled by this disease it caused him to commit some of the crimes he did. He drank blood and organs because he believed that it would help him have a stronger heart. He only worried about this because of his disease. I think the drinking of blood and eating animal organs led to the other crimes he committed. Richard also got labeled by his “friends” that he lived with before he committed his first crime. He would be asked to move out of the apartment a lot because of his nudity and addictions to drugs and alcohol. I think he thought his friends were labeling him as a drug addict and alcoholic and he didn’t like that. I really believe that the Hypochondrias and the addictions caused Richard Chase to commit all the crimes he did.