Naman Shrestha
In the 1980s, Richard Ramirez, also known as “The Night Stalker,” claimed dozens of victims across California, mainly in the Los Angeles area. His early life and crimes are revisited in detail in the two-part true crime documentary series titled ‘Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes.’ The Peacock production also explores the bond he shared with his cousin, Miguel “Mike” Angel Valles, who potentially had a strong influence on him and was the first person to introduce him to blood and gore by boasting about his war crimes.
Miguel “Mike” Angel Valles Allegedly Glorified His War Experiences to Richard Ramirez
Miguel Angel “Mike” Valles Sr. was brought into the world by Juan Valles and Sebastiana Barscnas on June 14, 1949, in Durango, Mexico. After graduating high school, he joined the US Army during the Vietnam War in 1970 and reportedly got involved in a lot of severe and direct combat, which led to flashbacks and nightmares later in his life. Discharged about a year later, in December 1971, Mike began spending time with his younger cousin, Richard Ramirez. However, there were reports that the soldier was discharged with a 100% disability rating and even spent a few months in a hospital after being diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The decorated soldier shared his experiences of the war with young Richard and pridefully told him about all the war crimes he had committed in Vietnam, even showing him Polaroid photos of the women he had sexually assaulted, killed, and dismembered. Several years later, while Richard was incarcerated for his murder spree, he admitted that Mike had an influence on him and became fascinated by his war stories. According to him, his older cousin also taught him some stealth and kill tactics. At the time, Mike was married to Josefina “Jesse” Valles, with whom he reportedly shared three children, including a son named Miguel Valles Jr. On April 22, 1973, his beloved 5-year-old son died in an accidental gas explosion.
Miguel “Mike” Angel Valles Killed His Wife in Front of the Night Stalker
When his cousin Richard started using drugs like LSD regularly at the age of 14 in 1974, Mike found another medium to bond with him and talked about drugs and alcohol. About a year later, on May 4, 1975, he and his wife got into an argument in their house in the presence of 15-year-old Richard. Mike reportedly lost his cool and ended up shooting Josefina in the forehead with a handgun, after which he advised his young cousin to leave and never speak of it to anyone.
Not long after, the shooter was arrested and taken into custody for murdering her wife, who reportedly succumbed to the fatal gunshot wound a few days later. However, Mike did not face many repercussions for killing his wife as he was deemed not guilty by reason of insanity. The court attributed his shooting outburst as a result of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) he suffered during his time in the army. Thus, he was reportedly ordered to remain in Rusk State Hospital for a couple of years. In addition, he also served a few years in prison for the murder. After getting released, Mike got married again to a woman named Suzane Valles at some point.
By the time he tasted freedom again, his cousin, Richard, had moved to California, where he would wreak havoc over the next few years. Apart from suffering from several mental health issues like PTSD, Mike also dealt with numerous physical issues as well, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and substance abuse. Due to so many health complications, he became susceptible to different kinds of diseases. On April 8, 1995, the 45-year-old cousin of the serial killer Richard Ramirez, Miguel “Mike” Angel Valles, passed away from a heart attack in El Paso, Texas.
Read More: Doreen Lioy: What Happened to Richard Ramirez’s Wife?
