Man convicted of murdering 15-year-old Palo Alto girl
(KRON) — A Hawaiian man was convicted Monday of brutally murdering a 15-year-old Palo Alto girl, Karen Stitt, prosecutors said. Stitt was sexually assaulted and stabbed 59 times near a Sunnyvale bus stop in 1982. Her killer remained at large for decades.
On Monday, Gary Ramirez pleaded no contest to the 1982 slaying. Ramirez, 78, of Maui, will face a life prison sentence when he is sentenced on May 12 in Santa Clara County Superior court.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, 'Karen Stitt would have been 57 years old today. Today I am thinking of a young woman whose life and future were torn from her.'
Stitt was last seen alive on the night of September 2, 1982 walking toward a bus stop. Her teenaged boyfriend walked her to the area of El Camino Real and Wolfe Road because she was going to catch a bus in Sunnyvale back to her home in Palo Alto.
'Her boyfriend, worried he would get grounded for being out after his curfew, ran home after watching Ms. Stitt walk toward the bus stop,' prosecutors wrote.
The next morning, the girl's naked body was found hidden behind a blood-stained cinderblock wall. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed dozens of times. Her lifeless body was found just 100 yards from the bus stop.
'The killer left both his blood and bodily fluid on Ms. Stitt,' prosecutors wrote.
Rosen said that from 1982 until 2022, a continuous line of detectives at Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety put their 'heart and soul' into investigating the case.
Beginning in 2019, SDPS Detective Matt Hutchison used a tip to determine that Stitt's killer was likely one of four brothers from Fresno. In 2022, Ramirez was identified as the likely source of blood and bodily fluid left at the crime scene. The Santa Clara County DA's Crime Lab confirmed the identification.
Rosen said, 'Her murder was solved by forensic science, a remarkably stubborn detective, and a determined prosecutor. May their efforts serve as our memorial to this innocent teen and as a message from all of us in law enforcement to our community: We don't give up. Ever.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
DA: SF felon shot self, then victim during search for gang members
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A felon has been charged in a late-May Tenderloin shooting where he accidentally shot himself while firing from his car at a suspected gang member, prosecutors announced on Friday. Hit-and-run driver who ran over, seriously injured 5-year-old charged: SF DA At a Thursday arraignment hearing, Jonathan Contreras, 33, pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations involving the May 24 incident on the 500 block of Ellis St., said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins' Office. 'Allegedly, he was in a vehicle and asked the victim, who had just exited from a business on the block, if he was a member of a gang,' said the DA's office in a news release. 'Mr. Contreras allegedly then pulled out a firearm, accidentally shot himself in the leg and then shot the victim causing great bodily injury.' He was charged with several crimes, including discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a loaded firearm and having a concealed firearm in a vehicle. Contreras remains in custody with no set bail. 'The District Attorney's Office moved to have him detained pending trial due to the public safety risk he poses,' confirmed the DA's office. Despite charges being filed, this remains an active investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the SFPD tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text TIP411, starting the message with 'SFPD.' Anonymous tips are welcome. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
SF SoMA sex shop sued for allegedly selling ‘toxic' mouth gags
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A decades-old sex shop in San Francisco's SoMa (South of Market) neighborhood is being sued for allegedly selling mouth gags laced with toxic chemicals without a clear warning label. A civil case filed on Friday, June 6 by Seven Hills LLP on behalf of Blue Sky Forever says that Mr. S. Leather Co., Incorporated violated a health and safety code for not letting customers know about the dangers of a product called 'The Jaw Master Gag' and the 'harms caused by exposures to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate ('DEHP'), a toxic chemical found in and on gags manufactured, imported, distributed, sold, and offered for sale.' See court document hereDownload Mr. S Leather is located at 385 8th St. and has been in business since 1979. 'Detectable levels of DEHP are found in and on the gags Defendants manufacture, import, sell and distribute for sale in California,' the suit adds, saying that exposures to DEHP can cause birth defects and other reproductive issues. On its website, Mr. S. Leather states, 'We've been designing and producing exceptional bondage gear as well as leather, neoprene & sports clothing for kinky guys since 1979…When you're ready for the good stuff – Mr. S Leather is a place you'll want to check out.' The court document says the case is actionable, thanks to Proposition 65, and that Mr. S. Leather could face civil penalties of up to $2,500 per day for each violation. 'On October 24, 2003, pursuant to Proposition 65 implementing regulations, the State of California listed DEHP as a chemical known to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm,' says the suit. 'DEHP became subject to the 'clear and reasonable warning' requirements one year later, on October 24, 2004.' KRON4 reached out to Mr. S. Leather before the publication of this article and will update this story with a provided statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hit-and-run driver who ran over, seriously injured 5-year-old charged: SF DA
(KRON) — An alleged hit-and-run driver who ran over a 5-year-old girl while she was riding through a San Francisco crosswalk on her bike now faces criminal charges. On May 24 at about 6:14 p.m., 35-year-old Jonathan Lam hit and seriously injured the girl near the intersection of 31st Avenue and Clement Street, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced in a statement Friday. 'The victim, a 5-year old, was riding her bike in the crosswalk with her mother a few steps behind her … when Mr. Lam allegedly turned left onto 31st Avenue running over the victim,' the DA's office said in a statement. Vendor fraudsters scammed Fremont business out of $180K: PD Lam was driving a rented Jeep Wagoneer SUV at the time of the crash and drove away from the scene without stopping, the DA's office said. The 5-year-old girl was taken to the hospital for serious injuries and was in critical condition following the crash. Lam was arrested by San Francisco Police on June 1. Lam faces one count of leaving the scene of an accident with an allegation that the crash resulted in serious injury to the victim. Lam posted $100,000 bail on June 2 and is currently out of custody. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
