US serial killer Richard Ramirez - known as the "Night Stalker" - has died in hospital in California.
Ramirez, 53, was on death row in San Quentin prison after being convicted in 1989 of 13 murders. Officials said he died of natural causes.
Ramirez terrorised Southern California in 1984-5 with a rampage of sexual assault and murder.
Satanic symbols were left at some of the murder scenes by the killer, who broke into victims' homes at night.
Ramirez was captured and beaten by residents in East Los Angeles in 1985 as he attempted to hijack a car.
He was recognised from a photo published in newspapers after police identified him as a suspect from a fingerprint.
Los Angeles prosecutor Alan Yochelson, who was involved in the case, said his death ended "a pretty tragic period in the history of Los Angeles County".
"Richard Ramirez hurt a lot of people and I think our thoughts should be with the next of kin and the survivors, because their lives were changed forever by this man."
Ramirez, 53, was on death row in San Quentin prison after being convicted in 1989 of 13 murders. Officials said he died of natural causes.
Ramirez terrorised Southern California in 1984-5 with a rampage of sexual assault and murder.
Satanic symbols were left at some of the murder scenes by the killer, who broke into victims' homes at night.
Ramirez was captured and beaten by residents in East Los Angeles in 1985 as he attempted to hijack a car.
He was recognised from a photo published in newspapers after police identified him as a suspect from a fingerprint.
Los Angeles prosecutor Alan Yochelson, who was involved in the case, said his death ended "a pretty tragic period in the history of Los Angeles County".
"Richard Ramirez hurt a lot of people and I think our thoughts should be with the next of kin and the survivors, because their lives were changed forever by this man."