028 | From Maui to Murder: Gary Gene Ramirez and the 1982 Killing of Karen Stitt

He was quiet. Retired. A face no one looked twice at. Living in Makawao, Maui — a world away from the violence he left behind. But in August 2022, a knock at his door shattered the silence. Gary Gene Ramirez had been hiding in plain sight for 40 years. In 1982, 15-year-old Karen Stitt was brutally murdered in Sunnyvale, California. Stabbed 59 times. Bound with her own clothing. Left behind a fence like trash. The case went cold. Until one drop of blood… and a new kind of DNA search… led detectives to Hawaii. This episode traces the path from Karen’s last night, to decades of silence, to the arrest in paradise. It’s the story of a girl taken too young, a family that never stopped hoping, and a man who thought he’d outrun justice—until the Pacific couldn’t hide him anymore. ⚠️ Listener discretion advised: this episode contains details of sexual assault, violence, and the murder of a minor. If you have information about unsolved crimes in Hawaii, contact Honolulu CrimeStoppers at (808) 955-8300 or visit honolulucrimestoppers.org. — Follow Beneath the Palms and leave a review to support this work. Sharing helps keep these stories alive. 🎵 Music: “Obsession” by Yoza – used with permission 📚 Sources: Hawaii News Now, Maui Now, San Francisco Chronicle, Mercury News, People Magazine, Santa Clara DA reports, official court records, and Sunnyvale PD press statements #KarenStitt #GaryGeneRamirez #ColdCaseSolved #MauiArrest #BeneathThePalms #TrueCrimeHawaii #DNAJustice #GeneticGenealogy