Who is Miguel Angel Valles and what happened to him? Whereabouts of Richard Ramirez's cousin explored 

Miguel Angel Valles is a name connected to one of the most notorious criminals in American history: Richard Ramirez, aka The Night Stalker. Miguel had much to do with forming the early life and mind of Ramirez, as he is said to have introduced him to graphic violence and other destructive influences.

Valles, a Vietnam War veteran, was so traumatized by his experiences in the war that he battled with extreme PTSD throughout his turbulent life. His story is an important part of understanding the early influences on Richard Ramirez, as seen in the two-part Peacock documentary Richard Ramirez: The Night Stalker Tapes.

Miguel Angel Valles was born in June 1949 in Durango, Mexico. He moved to the United States and eventually served in the Vietnam War, where he developed lifelong scarring from physical and psychological injuries. Valles died at the age of 45, in April 1995, due to a heart attack.

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Miguel Angel Valles’ connection to Richard Ramirez

Miguel Angel Valles was not just a cousin to Ramirez, but more importantly, during his formative years, the latter was influenced by him. Upon his return from the Vietnam War in 1971, Valles was said to have shared detailed and disturbing accounts of his wartime experiences with Ramirez.

These were also said to include the display of Polaroid photographs of women he had victimized during the war; an act that would later prove to be very influential over Ramirez's psyche. Valles also introduced Ramirez to tactics of stealth and ambush, which were some skills he said he learned during the war.

As Ramirez would later confess while in prison, his cousin's stories and attitude had captivated him and were part of what had intrigued him toward violence.

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Role of Miguel Angel Valles in a family tragedy

In May 1975, Valles committed a horrific act in front of his then-15-year-old cousin, Ramirez. After an argument with his wife, Josefina "Jesse" Valles, Miguel shot her in the forehead. While the crime was horrific, Miguel was declared not guilty by reason of insanity and due to his PTSD. He was kept in a psychiatric facility for several years and also had to spend time in prison, after which he was let out.

This event, witnessed by Ramirez, became a point of inflection within their relationship and shook this teenager's world. It made matters worse regarding the choice between morality and violence in Ramirez's head, for he worshipped his cousin despite such actions.

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Later life and death of Miguel Angel Valles

After his release, Miguel Angel Valles remarried and attempted to rebuild his life, but his health declined because of various issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and substance abuse. He also continued to suffer from the long-term effects of his mental health conditions.

On April 8, 1995, Miguel Angel Valles died of a heart attack in El Paso, Texas, at the age of 45. He died of health problems, but his death would be a culmination of the turbulent life he lived, which had an impact on everyone around him, particularly his cousin Richard Ramirez, who went on to commit a series of murders that would horrify the nation.

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Miguel Angel Valles was a deeply disturbed individual, whose life was formed by the horrors of war and personal issues. His influence on Richard Ramirez shows how early exposure to violence and trauma can lead to catastrophic results.

Valles died in 1995, but his story remains a harsh reminder of the ripple effects of war, mental health issues, and familial influence. His legacy, though dark, provides essential context to one of America's most notorious serial killers, Richard Ramirez, aka The Night Stalker.