Man convicted of murdering 15-year-old Palo Alto girl
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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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
New York Post
12-08-2025
- New York Post
Austin Target shooting suspect claimed he was Jesus, chose his victims — an employee, grandfather and 4-year-old granddaughter — at random
The disturbed fiend who allegedly opened fire in a Target parking lot in Texas claimed to be Jesus and gunned down his three victims — identified Tuesday as a cart collector, a grandfather and his 4-year-old granddaughter — at random. Ethan Nieneker, 32, went on the deadly rampage Monday afternoon in Austin, using a gun obtained by a family member to fatally shoot Target employee Hector Leopoldo Martinez Machuca, 24, Adam Chow, 66, and Chow's young granddaughter, the Austin Police Department announced Tuesday. 'He said that he was Jesus and there was no real reason whatsoever given,' Austin Homicide detective Nathan Sexton said of the accused mentally ill gunman's violent spree. 3 Ethan Nieneker claimed he was Jesus, and chose his victims at random. Austin Police Department 'It was a completely random choosing of the victims.' Police said the fatal mayhem began around 2:15 p.m. Monday when Nieneker – who has a long rap sheet with the department – stormed the retail lot just north of Austin wearing a Hawaiian shirt and randomly targeted Machuca as the employee was collecting shopping carts. 3 Nieneker's three victims included a 24-year-old Austin Target employee, a grandfather and his 4-year-old granddaughter. Facebook/Ethan Nieneker The rabid assailant then fired at a Jeep trying to escape the gunfire before approaching a gray Toyota 4-Runner, where he fatally shot Chow, who was in the driver's seat, and Chow's granddaughter in the backseat. 3 Nieneker is accused of gunning down the victims in Austin on Monday afternoon before making a dramatic getaway that involved two stolen cars and a police chase. AP The family members were both pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The Target employee was taken to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Chow's wife was also injured in the heinous attack before Nieneker stole their car and fled at high speed from the store. Nieneker later crashed the Toyota into a Volkswagen before coming to a rest on top of an Infiniti SUV. He then assaulted the Volkswagen driver, hijacked the vehicle, and drove off, according to police. He was eventually taken down with a Taser about 20 miles away in the city' south end after throwing a brick through a friend's house and wandering naked through a backyard, all of which was captured on video surveillance.
American Press
11-08-2025
- American Press
Police say 2 dead in a shooting at Target in Austin, and a suspect is detained
(Special to the American Press) Two people were killed in a shooting at a Target store in Austin, Texas, on Monday and a suspect has been detained, police said. Austin police said in a post on the social platform X that the scene is still active, and an investigation is ongoing. The police statement did not say if anyone was injured. Austin-Travis County emergency services posted on X that it assisted four patients but provided no details. Target corporate didn't immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment. The shooting came amid back-to-school shopping ahead of the upcoming school year. Video shows a massive police and emergency response to the store parking lot. Austin police identified a suspect as a white male wearing shorts and a Hawaiian-style floral shirt. Police closed several roads in the area and warned the public not to approach him.
Boston Globe
11-08-2025
- Boston Globe
2 dead in a shooting at a Target in Austin, Texas, and a suspect is detained, police say
Target corporate didn't immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment. The shooting came amid back-to-school shopping ahead of the upcoming school year. Video shows a massive police and emergency response to the store parking lot. Austin police identified a suspect as a white male wearing shorts and a Hawaiian-style floral shirt. Police closed several roads in the area and warned the public not to approach him. Advertisement
