ON THIS DAY IN TEENAGE HISTORY (1985), James Romero, 13, glimpsed a suspicious car driving past his California neighborhood and took down part of the license plate number, which he passed on to the police. Romero’s sighting provided what the Los Angeles Times called the “first clue to the Night Stalker” killings, eventually leading to the arrest of Richard “The Night Stalker” Ramirez. A 25-year-old Texas drifter, Ramirez would be convicted in 1989 of 13 counts of murder, 5 attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults, and 14 burglaries. He was sentenced to life in prison. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors presented Romero with a three-wheel all-terrain cycle and tickets to two Los Angeles Rams games, plus $1,000, as a reward for his tip.
BEST TEENAGERS EVER 