Who is Doreen Lioy?
Doreen Lioy was born in 1955, in Burbank, to a family with financial stability in California. Her heritage is of pure Caucasian descent, and she is a Christian by faith. Her father was a businessman, and her mother was a stay-at-home parent.
Her career in journalism was extraordinary; she was a senior editor for the renowned magazine Tiger Beat and was featured in the award-winning documentary THS Investigates: Love Behind Birds.
She was well-known for her ability to recognize and nurture new talent, with actor John Stamos even attributing his own success to her guidance.
She had a knack for connecting with up-and-coming celebrities, often leading them to become popular magazine cover stars. Not only was she a remarkable professional, but she was also connected to a notorious serial killer.
Doreen Lioy’s Marriage to Richard Ramirez
Soon after Richard Ramirez was taken into custody, Doreen Lioy developed strong feelings for him. Despite the fact that he had been convicted of unspeakable offenses, she was not discouraged. Lioy was also unfazed by his Satanism, which had been on full display during his court proceedings.
Doreen Lioy refused to believe that he was guilty. Despite the fact that she was not the only female to write to Ramirez, she was certainly the most dedicated – having sent him 75 letters over the course of 11 years.
Lioy became an outspoken advocate for him in the public sphere, often singing his praises in interviews. In an interview with CNN, Lioy called Ramirez her “best friend”.
“He’s kind, he’s funny, he’s charming. I think he’s a really great person. He’s my best friend; he’s my buddy.”
On November 7, 1989, Ramirez was given a death sentence and began his time in San Quentin State Prison. Lioy was the most regular guest of Ramirez, as noted by Los Angeles Times journalist Christopher Goffard, who while interviewing someone else at the jail, noticed Lioy and perceived her to be attracted to Ramirez’s “vulnerabilities”.
Goffard revealed that her meetings with Ramirez were a frequent occurrence, and she was usually the first to arrive.
She often proclaimed his innocence, yet she was never willing to supply any concrete explanations for why she was visiting him. When pressed, Lioy merely stated, “Hometown girl makes bad.”
She complained,
“[People call me crazy] or stupid or lying. And I’m none of those things. I just believe in him completely. In my opinion, there was far more evidence to convict O.J. Simpson, and we all know how that turned out.”
Despite the widespread public condemnation of Lioy, she was determined to marry Ramirez. On October 3, 1996, a visiting room was prepared by prison staff and the ceremony took place, despite the families of Ramirez’s victims’ disapproval.
On their wedding day, Lioy purchased a platinum band for Richard Ramirez since he had already made it known to her that Satanists abstain from wearing gold, while she got herself a gold band.
The ceremony, with vending machines along the walls and plastic chairs securely fastened to the floor, had a conventional look to it. The pastor had removed the phrase “until death do you part” from the vows. He said,
“That would be bad form to say here, on death row.”
Ramirez and Lioy’s relationship did not have a positive conclusion. Ramirez’s obituary was silent about any kind of divorce, and it was said that the couple had not been in contact for some time before his death.
The exact cause of the couple’s dissolution is uncertain, yet some assume that Lioy couldn’t handle the 2009 proof that Ramirez had killed a 9-year-old in 1984. Others suggest that Ramirez’s health issues were the main factor in their breakup.
Where is Doreen Lioy now?
In the end, Ramirez passed away due to issues stemming from B-cell lymphoma in 2013, instead of being put to death. As for Doreen Lioy, she has been quite elusive for a few years, and it is uncertain if she ever made up with her family. Her current location is still a mystery.
