She was raped, stabbed 50 times. 43 years later, her killer is finally behind bars

In 1982, 15-year-old Karen Stitt was murdered in Sunnyvale, and her case remained unsolved for over 40 years. Thanks to DNA evidence, her killer was eventually identified and arrested. More than four decades after the tragic crime that devastated her family and community, justice has at last been achieved.

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Karen Stitt’s Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison After Decades-Long Wait for Justice

Gary Ramirez, a 78-year-old resident of Maui, Hawaii, was sentenced today to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 25 years for the 1982 murder of Karen Stitt, a high school student from Palo Alto. Ramirez had previously pleaded no contest to the charges earlier this year on February 24. The sentencing took place in a Santa Clara County courtroom, where Judge Hanley Chew handed down the punishment. Emotions ran high as family members and friends of Karen Stitt filled the courtroom, some tearfully recounting the enduring grief and anger caused by the young girl’s tragic death.

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Justice After Decades: DNA Evidence Solves 1982 Murder of Karen Stitt

“Over 40 years ago, Karen Stitt lost her life, but she was not forgotten,” said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen. “Today, thanks to a dedicated detective, a persistent prosecutor, and our Crime Lab, the person responsible is behind bars.” Stitt’s murder shocked the Bay Area community in the early 1980s. On the night of September 2, 1982, she took a bus from her Palo Alto home to visit her boyfriend in Sunnyvale. Around midnight, she began her journey home, walking toward a bus stop near El Camino Real and Wolfe Road. The next morning, her body was discovered just 100 yards from the stop, beside a bloodstained cinderblock wall. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed more than 50 times.

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