This maniac became known as the "Vampire Killer of Sacramento" after a four day blood binge in January, 1978, in which he claimed six lives. Previously he had tried to inject rabbit's blood into his veins. When he was institutionalized he exhibited such strange behavior that the hospital staff nicknamed him "Dracula". He complained that someone had stolen his pulmonary artery and that his head kept changing shape. By 1977 it seemed that his delirium had been brought to check by his medication and was released from the hospital to make room for more seriously ill patients. Apparently Rich decided to stop taking his medication. He started thinking again that his blood was turning into powder and a Nazi crime syndicate that had been haunting him since high school was paying his mother money to poison him. So he did what any other red-blooded American would do under such duress. He became a vampire.

A typically "disorganized" killer, Chase picked his victims randomly and left as much evidence as he could around his home and the crime scenes. He drained his victim's blood, blended it with body organs and drank it. It was the only way to stop his own blood from turning into powder, or so did the voices in his head said. He also took some body parts home to munch on later.

Chase was arrested a few days after his 4-day bloody swansong through Sacramento. Authorities brought in FBI superstar and acclaimed author Robert Ressler to help find the killer. After his arrest Richie raved about UFO's and other imagined stalkers after him. He died of an overdose of antidepressants in his cell in Vacaville just after Chrismas in 1980.