Richard Chase, known as "The Vampire Killer", is a serial killer and cannibal who murdered six people in California between December 1977 and January 1978. He is known for his obsession with blood and his belief that he needed to consume blood in order to stay alive. Chase is a thin man with long, unkempt hair, and his facial features were often described as being intense and unsettling. He complained from paranoia and schizophrenia which gave him headaches. Chase is also known for consuming blood and organs of animals and for carrying a pistol and a knife with him.