Richard Chase
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Richard Chase
Richard Trenton Chase (May 23, 1950-December 26, 1980) was an American serial killer who claimed the lives of six individuals from December 1977 through January 1978. Nicknamed the Vampire of Sacramento, Chase would drink the blood of his victims and consume their organs. Chase claimed that he performed this practice in order to prevent "Nazis from turning his blood into powder". Richard believed that Nazis had planted poison beneath his soap dish, and would use that in order to convert his blood to powder.
Chase had been saving dosages of doctor-prescribed antidepressants through the weeks leading up to his death and, on December 26, 1980, ended his own life via suicide by overdose.
Childhood & Early Adulthood
Richard Chase was born on May 23, 1950 in Santa Clara, California to abusive parents and endured beatings from his father.
By the age of ten, Chase exhibited all three factors of the MacDonald Triad. The MacDonald Triad is utilized to identify warning signs of present or future violent behavior and consists of such factors as arson, bed-wetting, and cruelty towards animals. During his adolescence, Chase also participated in concerning behaviors including frequent drug use. Few details are known in regards to Richard's early childhood.
As Chase emerged into adulthood, he developed a condition known as hypochondria, a disorder in which the sufferer has abnormal concerns or anxiety about their own health. Chase frequently complained that his heartbeat would periodically cease, along with concerns that his pulmonary artery had been stolen. In order to alleviate his anxiety, Richard would exhibit bizarre mannerisms such as holding oranges on his head (with the belief that doing so would assist in the absorption of Vitamin C through diffusion) and shaving his hair (an action sparked by the fear that his cranial bones had split and were moving around). Richard Chase believed that shaving his head would more easily allow him to observe these supposed "movements".
At some point prior to his murder spree, Richard Chase moved out of his mother's house, fearing that she was attempting to kill him via poison. On his own (w/ the company of friends), Chase's mental health continued to decline and his drug addiction seemingly intensified (evident by his almost constant states of intoxication from drugs and alcohol). Roommates complained about some of Richard's strange and disruptive behaviors. These reported behaviors included roaming the apartment nude (even in front of guests) and persistent usage of LSD, marijuana, and alcohol. After rejecting his friends' orders that he move out, Richard Chase eventually found himself as the sole resident when his roommates evacuated the apartment themselves. This independence allowed for Chase to capture numerous animals. The captive animals would later be slaughtered, disemboweled, and consumed raw. Chase would occasionally mix the creatures' remains with Coca-Cola and ground them together in a blender. This ritual was apparently performed in order to prevent his [Richard's] heart from shrinking.