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{{Short description|Death of American woman}}
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{{Infobox person
{{use American English|date=June 2015}}
⚫
| name = Mitrice L. Richardson
{{use mdy dates|date=June 2015}}
⚫
| image = Mitrice Richardson.jpg
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{{infobox person
⚫
| alt =
| caption = Mitrice Richardson
| name = Mitrice Richardson
| birth_name = Mitrice Lavon Richardson
| image =
| alt = Undated photo of Richardson
| birth_date = April 30, 1985 <!-- {{Birth date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Birth-date and age|birth date†}} -->
⚫
| caption = Mitrice Richardson
| birth_place =
⚫
| birth_name = Mitrice Lavon Richardson
| death_date = Unknown, remains found in August 9, 2010<!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} or {{Death-date and age|death date†|birth date†}} -->
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1985|4|30}}
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| death_place = Remains found in [[Monte Nido, California]]
| birth_place = Los Angeles, Los Angeles, [[California]], United States
| nationality = [[American]]
| disappeared_date = {{Disappeared date and age|2009|9|17|1985|4|30}}
| ethnicity = [[Black people|Black]]
⚫
| body_discovered = August 9, 2010, [[Monte Nido, California]], United States
| other_names =
| occupation = [[Administrative Assistant]]
| nationality = [[Americans|American]]
⚫
| other_names =
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| alma_mater= [[Cal State Fullerton]]
| occupation = [[Executive assistant]], [[dancer]]
⚫
| known_for = Missing person from [[South Los Angeles]]<Br> Went missing after being released from a [[Malibu]] jail
⚫
| alma_mater = [[California State University, Fullerton]]
}} on September 17, 2009
⚫
| known_for = Missing person from [[South Los Angeles]], [[California]], United States;
}}
'''Mitrice Lavon Richardson''' (born April 30, 1985 - remains found August 9, 2010) was a 24-year-old [[African American]] woman who went missing after being released from a [[Malibu, California]] jail on September 17, 2009 and was subsequently found deceased 11 months later in August 2010. She worked as an administrative assistant at a freight company in [[Santa Fe Springs, California]], was a dancer in a nightclub in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]], lived in [[South Los Angeles]], and was an out lesbian at the time of her disappearance and death.<ref>{{cite news| author =| title =Where's Mitrice? The Search for a Young Lesbian Missing Since September| quote =| newspaper =[[SheWired]]| date = November 17, 2009| pages =| url =http://www.shewired.com/g-spot/wheres-mitrice-search-young-lesbian-missing-september?page=full| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref>
'''Mitrice Lavon Richardson''' (born April 30, 1985 – remains found August 9, 2010) was a 24-year-old African-American woman who went missing on September 17, 2009, after police claim she was released from a jail at the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department|Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station]], where she had been taken after behaving erratically at a restaurant. She was missing for 11 months before being found deceased in August 2010 by park rangers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/2016/06/10/los-angeles-county-sheriffs-department-mitrice-richardson-secrecy-suspicion-450421.html|title=Why secrecy and suspicion surround the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department|last=Alexander Nazaryan On 4/21/16 at 7:01 AM|date=2016-04-21|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}}</ref>


Richardson's parents have maintained that their daughter should never have been released on her own by the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]], given her obviously disturbed condition. In 2011, the Richardson family settled the civil lawsuit with L.A. County privately for $900,000. In January 2017, the [[California Attorney General]]'s office concluded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Richardson's release from jail and decided not to bring charges against anyone involved in her release.<ref name=dailynews-jan2017>{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20170131/mitrice-richardsons-family-speaks-out-as-state-says-deputies-shouldnt-be-prosecuted-in-her-death/|first=Susan|last=Abram| title=Mitrice Richardson's family speaks out as state says deputies shouldn't be prosecuted in her death|date=2017-01-31|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|language=en-US|access-date=2017-05-03}}</ref>
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==Early life and education==
Richardson was a graduate of [[South Hills High School (West Covina, California)|South Hills High School]] in [[West Covina, California]]. She graduated from [[California State University, Fullerton]] with a B.A. degree in psychology in 2008. She had been a [[beauty pageant]] contestant.<ref>{{cite news| author = Andrew Blankstein and Carla Hall| title = No signs of foul play in Mitrice Richardson's death, authorities say [Updated]| quote =| newspaper = latimesblogs.latimes.com| date = August 12, 2010| url =http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/08/mitrice-richardson.html| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref>


⚫
==Life and education==
She was the daughter of Latice Sutton and Michael Richardson, who were never married or in a relationship. She was raised by her mother and stepfather Larry Sutton in [[Covina, California]].<ref>{{cite news| author = Carla Hall and Joel Rubin| title =Mitrice Richardson may have been spotted in Las Vegas| quote = Her parents, who have never been a couple, are divided on whether the new sightings are real.| newspaper =[[Los Angeles Times]]| date = July 29, 2010| url =http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/29/local/la-me-0729-mitrice-20100729| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| author =Mike Kessler| title =What Happened To Mitrice Richardson?| quote = She knew Covina and the suburbs east of L.A., where she grew up with her mother and stepfather. She knew Fullerton, where she graduated with honors from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in psychology the year before, in 2008. She knew Long Beach, where she worked Friday nights as a go-go dancer. She knew South L.A., where her father lived and where she resided with her great-grandmother at 118th and Central. Malibu was not Mitrice’s turf.| newspaper =[[Los Angeles Magazine]]| date =September 1, 2011| url =http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/what-happened-to-mitrice-richardson/| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref>
Mitrice Richardson was the daughter of Latice Sutton and Michael Richardson. She was raised by her mother and stepfather Larry Sutton in [[Covina, California|Covina]], California.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jul-29-la-me-0729-mitrice-20100729-story.html|title=Mitrice Richardson May Have Been Spotted in Las Vegas|last1=Hall|first1=Carla|date=2010-07-29|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=2015-03-29|last2=Rubin|first2=Joel|quote=Her parents, who have never been a couple, are divided on whether the new sightings are real.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/what-happened-to-mitrice-richardson/|title=What Happened to Mitrice Richardson?|last=Kessler|first=Mike|date=2011-09-01|newspaper=[[Los Angeles (magazine)|Los Angeles]]|access-date=2015-03-29|quote=She knew Covina and the suburbs east of L.A., where she grew up with her mother and stepfather. She knew Fullerton, where she graduated with honors from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in psychology the year before, in 2008.}}</ref>


Richardson obtained a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[psychology]] in 2008 from [[California State University, Fullerton]], after graduating from [[South Hills High School (West Covina, California)|South Hills High School]] in [[West Covina, California]].
⚫
==Disappearance==
On the evening of September 16, 2009, Richardson entered the parking lot of [http://www.geoffreysmalibu.com/ Geoffrey's] restaurant in Malibu, California. Due to what staff and patrons at the restaurant described as "bizarre" behavior and the fact that she was unable to pay for her bill, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's department from the [http://shq.lasdnews.net/pages/patrolstation.aspx?id=lhs Malibu/Lost Hills Station] were called to assess her condition. The officers on the scene purportedly administered a field sobriety test and determined that she was not intoxicated and not under the influence of any substance. In an email to command staff, the arresting officer stated that he arrested Mitrice Richardson due to the fact that she was, "acting ditzy"; however, he failed to take her for a psychiatric evaluation and instead detained her.


Richardson was an open lesbian, and at the time of her death, had been dating girlfriend Tessa Moon for about two years.<ref name="Advocate">{{cite web|url=http://www.advocate.com/news/news-features/2009/11/16/where-mitrice-richardson|title=Where is Mitrice Richardson|last=Boverman|first=Neal|date=2009-11-16|work=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]|access-date=2015-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lamag.com/longform/what-happened-to-mitrice-richardson/|title=What Happened To Mitrice Richardson? Los Angeles Magazine|last=Kessler|first=Mike|date=2011-09-01|website=Los Angeles Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-29}}</ref> She had also competed as a beauty pageant contestant, worked as an intern for a forensic psychologist and part-time as a dancer in an LGBT strip club.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Blankstein| first1=Andrew |last2=Hall|first2= Carla | title = No Signs of Foul Play in Mitrice Richardson's Death, Authorities Say [Updated] | newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = 2010-08-12| url =http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/08/mitrice-richardson.html| access-date =2015-03-29}}</ref>
⚫
Upon her arrest, her phone, purse and money were secured in her car and her car was towed to a tow yard on Pacific Coast Highway. Mitrice was detained and booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff station approximately 10 miles up Malibu Canyon at a sheriff station in Agoura, CA.


⚫
==Disappearance==
⚫
Despite the fact that Richardson's mother informed the station of concern for her daughters mental health and promises from the station personnel that she would not be released until later in the morning, Richardson was released on September 17, 2009 at 12:28am in a mental health crisis, with no belongings and no means of calling for assistance.
On the evening of September 16, 2009, Richardson entered the parking lot of Geoffrey's restaurant in Malibu. Due to what staff and patrons at the restaurant described as "bizarre" behavior and the fact that she was unable to pay her $89 bill, the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department]] from the Malibu/Lost Hills Station was called to assess her condition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-aug-13-la-me-mitrice-richardson-20100813-story.html|title=Long search for Mitrice Richardson comes to tragic end|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|last1=Blankstein| first1=Andrew |last2=Hall|first2= Carla|access-date=2015-06-15}}</ref> The officers on the scene purportedly administered a [[field sobriety test]] and determined that she was not intoxicated and not under the influence of any substance. She was arrested on charges of "suspicion of [[theft of services|not paying for the meal]]" and possession of less than an ounce of [[marijuana]].<ref name="cbsnews.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitrice-richardson-arrested-released-then-disappeared-are-the-cops-to-blame/|title=Mitrice Richardson Arrested, Released, then Disappeared: Are the Cops to Blame?|date=2009-09-25 |work=cbsnews.com|access-date=2015-06-15}}</ref><ref name=Advocate /><ref name=lamag>{{cite web|url=http://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/what-happened-to-mitrice-richardson/|title=What Happened To Mitrice Richardson |last =Kessler|first= Mike|work=[[Los Angeles (magazine)|Los Angeles]]|date=2011-09-01|access-date=2015-06-15}}</ref>


⚫
According to the arresting officers, upon her arrest, her phone, purse and money were secured in her car and her car was towed to a tow yard on the [[California State Route 1|Pacific Coast Highway]]. Richardson was detained and booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station approximately ten miles (16&nbsp;km) up [[Malibu Canyon]].
Several hours later she was seen in the backyard of former news anchor [[Bill Smith (KTLA]]) who stated she was in his backyard "resting". Neighbors stated that they heard a woman's voice in the tennis courts of Bill Smith's home. Others stated that they heard and saw Mitrice either leaving or attempting to enter the home of Bill Smith and that she had been in the presence of a man who frequented the home for a few days after her disappearance. Neighbors also stated that they heard loud screams in a vacant home around the time that Mitrice went missing. They stated that the police were called.


⚫
Although Richardson's mother informed the station of concern for her daughter's mental health, and despite promises from the station personnel that she would not be released until later in the morning, Richardson was released on September 17, 2009, at 12:28 AM with no belongings and no means of calling for assistance. Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said Richardson was released from jail because "She exhibited no signs of mental illness or intoxication. She was fine. She's an adult." She had been invited to wait in the lobby, but declined.<ref name="cbsnews.com"/>
Richardson's father Michael Richardson publicly claimed to have seen Mitrice Richardson working as a prostitute in [[Las Vegas]], Nevada in January 2010.<ref>{{cite news| author = Carla Hall and Joel Rubin| title =Mitrice Richardson may have been spotted in Las Vegas| quote = Her parents, who have never been a couple, are divided on whether the new sightings are real.


Several hours later, at 6:30 AM, she was seen in the backyard of former [[KTLA]] news anchor Bill Smith in [[Monte Nido, California|Monte Nido]]. When Smith opened his window and asked if she was OK, Richardson told Smith that she was "resting."<ref name=lamag /> Smith then called the police.
"I strongly believe," said her father, Michael Richardson, 43. "But I don't believe she's in her right state of mind."


==Searches==
His belief, he said, is bolstered by his own personal sighting — on a trip to Las Vegas in the middle of January. He was with friends from his motorcycle club in a truck pulling onto a downtown street when he saw a young woman in jeans and a baseball cap talking on a cellphone.
[[File:Memorial to Mitrice Richardson.jpg|thumb|Site where Richardson's remains were found.]]
On January 9, 2010, four months after she was reported missing, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department conducted one of the largest-scale searches in the history of the department. Over 300 volunteers trained in [[search and rescue]] operations participated in the 18-square-mile (47&nbsp;km²) search in the area of Malibu Canyon. The search included both air and ground searches of creeks, trails, and ridges. Richardson was not found during this search.<ref>{{cite news| last=Hall|first= Carla | title =Search for Mitrice Richardson Draws 300 Volunteers to Malibu, Canyon| newspaper =[[Los Angeles Times]]| date =2010-01-09| url =http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/search-for-mitrice-richardson-draws-300-volunteers-to-malibu-canyon.html| access-date =2015-03-31}}</ref>


Maurice Dubois, father of slain [[Escondido, California]], teen [[Amber Dubois]], assisted Richardson's family in a two-day search on June 5 and 6, 2010, in the Monte Nido area of Malibu Canyon. Over 100 private-citizen volunteers participated in the search of the area. Although Richardson's remains were not discovered, searchers found racially and sexually offensive [[graffiti]] on the walls of a [[culvert]] in the canyon. The graffiti was freshly painted and paint cans, brushes and other potential evidence were left at the scene.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chapman|first= Justin | title =The Handwriting on the Wall| newspaper =[[Pasadena Weekly]]| date =2010-07-22| url=https://www.pasadenaweekly.com/imported/the-handwriting-on-the-wall/article_36ae71f5-f89d-545f-883b-bbdacf88857f.html| access-date =2022-08-03}}</ref>
" 'God, this girl looks like my daughter,' " he said he thought to himself. So he jumped out of the truck, which was stuck in traffic. "I'm running over to get to where she is. I'm almost getting hit by cars. She was standing in the middle of two palm trees in a restaurant parking lot. And then she's gone. I'm like 'Where was that girl?' "….Michael Richardson said Rosson discussed with him the possibility that she was working as a prostitute. He said he believes that it is possible someone is keeping her from contacting family and friends.| newspaper =[[Los Angeles Times]]| date = July 29, 2010| url =http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/29/local/la-me-0729-mitrice-20100729| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| author =[[Associated Press]]| title =Missing since September, Mitrice Richardson may be alive &mdash; and in Vegas| quote =| newspaper =[[Los Angeles Daily News]]| date =July 28, 2010| url =http://www.dailynews.com/20100728/missing-since-september-mitrice-richardson-may-be-alive-mdash-and-in-vegas| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref>


⚫
The [[creek bed]] in Malibu Canyon where Richardson's naked mummified remains were eventually discovered is adjacent to a 21-acre (8.5 ha) ranch that is known for producing pornography. It is very secluded and has direct access to the creek bed. When her body was discovered, the detectives on the case removed her body against the order of the [[coroner]]. Though residents reportedly heard screams in that area several nights after Richardson disappeared,<ref>{{cite news |last=Coleman |first=Andre |date=2011-07-14 |title=Uncovering the truth |work=[[Pasadena Weekly]] |url=https://www.pasadenaweekly.com/2011/07/14/uncovering-the-truth/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108011937/https://www.pasadenaweekly.com/2011/07/14/uncovering-the-truth/ |access-date=2023-02-03|archive-date=November 8, 2018 }}</ref> her death was deemed to not be a homicide; there was no [[Crime|foul play]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hall|first1= Carla |last2=Blankstein|first2= Andrew | title =Long Search for Mitrice Richardson Comes to Tragic End | newspaper =[[Los Angeles Times]]| date =2010-08-13| url =https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-aug-13-la-me-mitrice-richardson-20100813-story.html| access-date =2015-03-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Duke|first= Alan | title =Remains Found in Malibu Canyon Identified as Mitrice Richardson| publisher =[[CNN]]| date = 2010-08-13| url =http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/12/california.remains.found/| access-date =2015-03-29}}</ref>
===Search===
Only after much pressure was there a search for Mitrice by law enforcement two days after she went missing. The search was supposed to last for two days; however, despite the fact that the scent dogs still had her scent, the search was abruptly called off on the first day with no explanation for why it ended or why it would not continue for the second day. The neighbors of Bill Smith were shocked to learn that the search for Mitrice did not include a search of the creek bed in the area as it would have been a very likely place for someone to take her. Her remains were found in [[Monte Nido, California]], in the very creek bed that the residents of the Monte Nido community thought she may have been.

⚫
The creekbed where Mitrice's naked skeletal remains were eventually discovered, is adjacent to a 21 acre ranch that is known for producing pornography. It is very secluded and has direct access to the creek bed. When her body was discovered, the detectives on the case removed her body against the order of the coroner. Her death was deemed to not be a homicide. There was no [[foul play]].<ref>{{cite news| author = Carla Hall and Andrew Blankstein| title =Long search for Mitrice Richardson comes to tragic end| quote =| newspaper =[[Los Angeles Times]]| date =August 13, 2010| url =http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/13/local/la-me-mitrice-richardson-20100813| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| author =Alan Duke| title =Remains found in Malibu Canyon identified as Mitrice Richardson| quote =| newspaper =[[CNN]]| date = August 13, 2010| url =http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/12/california.remains.found/| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref>


==Media coverage==
==Media coverage==
Mitrice appeared on the cover of [[People (magazine)|''People'' magazine]] in November 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/archive/cover-story-vanished-vol-72-no-21/|title=Vanished|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en|access-date=2018-12-29}}</ref>
Richardson's disappearance was covered on an episode of ''[[Disappeared_(TV_series)#Season_5_.282012-2013.29|Disappeared]]'' on [[Investigation Discovery]] entitled "Lost in the Dark". It first aired on November 19, 2012.

Richardson's disappearance was covered on an episode of ''[[List of Disappeared episodes#Season 6 (2012–2013)|Disappeared]]'' on the [[Investigation Discovery]] channel, entitled "Lost in the Dark"; it first aired on November 19, 2012, as the season 6 premiere.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2849072/|title=Disappeared: Lost in the Dark|date=2012-11-19|access-date=2018-11-07|publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>

Richardson’s disappearance is featured on Season 3 of “Hell and Gone” podcast by journalist and private investigator Catherine Townsend. It can be found on iHeart True Crime on iHeartPodcasts.


==Lawsuits==
==Lawsuits==
Richardson's family has filed several lawsuits against the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department]] for releasing her from jail even though, they claim, she was experiencing severe [[bipolar disorder]] at the time.<ref>{{cite news| author = Robert Faturechi| title =Mitrice Richardson: $900000 settlement tentatively reached| quote =| newspaper = latimesblogs.latimes.com| date = August 23, 2011| url =http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/08/mitrice-richardson-settlement.html| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| author = Denisse Salazar| title =Mother of dead CSUF grad files another lawsuit| quote =| newspaper =[[Orange County Register]]| date = May 25, 2011| url =http://www.ocregister.com/articles/richardson-301952-malibu-remains.html| accessdate =March 29, 2015}}</ref>
Richardson's family has filed several lawsuits against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for releasing her from jail even though, they claim, she was experiencing severe [[bipolar disorder]] at the time.<ref>{{cite news| last = Faturechi|first= Robert | title =Mitrice Richardson: $900,000 Settlement Tentatively Reached| newspaper = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = 2011-08-23| url =http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/08/mitrice-richardson-settlement.html| access-date =2015-03-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| last=Salazar|first= Denise | title =Mother of Dead CSUF Grad Files Another Lawsuit | newspaper =[[Orange County Register]]| date = 2011-05-25| url =http://www.ocregister.com/articles/richardson-301952-malibu-remains.html| access-date =2015-03-29}}</ref> In 2011, her parents, who had sued separately, were awarded $450,000 each.<ref name="2016 LA Daily News story">{{cite news|last=Abram|first=Susan|title=California attorney general opens criminal investigation into Sheriff's Department over Mitrice Richardson case|url=http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20160212/california-attorney-general-opens-criminal-investigation-into-sheriffs-department-over-mitrice-richardson-case|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|date=2016-02-02 |access-date=2016-02-13}}</ref> Richardson's girlfriend, Tessa Moon, refutes claims that Richardson had any mental illness.<ref name=Advocate />


Richardson's family also asked the [[Attorney General of California|California Attorney General]]'s office to review the sheriff's office's handling of the case. In November 2015, after reviewing 500 pages of documents sent with the request, the office of California then-Attorney General [[Kamala Harris]] replied that it had not found any grounds for criminal charges against the sheriff or his deputies. The Attorney General's office also found no evidence that the sheriff's office had mishandled Richardson's family's complaint against it. However, in January 2016, the California Attorney General's office reversed itself and announced it was beginning a criminal investigation of the case.<ref name="2016 LA Daily News story" />


On December 30, 2016, the California Attorney General's office concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support criminal prosecution of anyone involved in the handling of the case.<ref name=dailynews-jan2017 />
<gallery>Memorial to Mitrice Richardson.jpg</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Greater Los Angeles}}
* [[List of solved missing person cases]]
* [[List of unsolved deaths]]
{{clear}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Find-Mitrice-Richardson/149293545705?ref=hl Find Mitrice Richardson]
* [https://www.facebook.com/pages/Find-Mitrice-Richardson/149293545705?ref=hl Find Mitrice Richardson]
*[https://www.facebook.com/LostCompassion?ref=hl The Mitrice Richardson Documentary "Lost Compassion"]
* [https://sites.google.com/site/findmitrice/ Find Mitrice Website]
*[https://sites.google.com/site/findmitrice/ Find Mitrice Website]
* [https://www.facebook.com/LostCompassion?ref=hl The Mitrice Richardson Documentary "Lost Compassion"]
* [https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-hell-and-gone-29974699/ "Hell and Gone Podcast"]
[[Category:California State University, Fullerton alumni]]

⚫
[[Category:People from Los Angeles County, California]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Mitrice}}
[[Category:LGBT African Americans]]
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:2000s missing person cases]]
[[Category:Accidental deaths in California]]
⚫
[[Category:Deaths by person in California]]
[[Category:Formerly missing people]]
[[Category:Malibu, California]]
[[Category:Missing person cases in California]]
[[Category:American lesbians]]
[[Category:African-American LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:September 2009 events in the United States]]
[[Category:Unsolved deaths in the United States]]
[[Category:History of women in California]]

Latest revision as of 03:57, 29 September 2024

Mitrice Richardson
Born
Mitrice Lavon Richardson

(1985-04-30)April 30, 1985
Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
DisappearedSeptember 17, 2009 (aged 24)
Body discoveredAugust 9, 2010, Monte Nido, California, United States
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCalifornia State University, Fullerton
Occupation(s)Executive assistant, dancer
Known forMissing person from South Los Angeles, California, United States;

Mitrice Lavon Richardson (born April 30, 1985 – remains found August 9, 2010) was a 24-year-old African-American woman who went missing on September 17, 2009, after police claim she was released from a jail at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, where she had been taken after behaving erratically at a restaurant. She was missing for 11 months before being found deceased in August 2010 by park rangers.[1]

Richardson's parents have maintained that their daughter should never have been released on her own by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, given her obviously disturbed condition. In 2011, the Richardson family settled the civil lawsuit with L.A. County privately for $900,000. In January 2017, the California Attorney General's office concluded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Richardson's release from jail and decided not to bring charges against anyone involved in her release.[2]

Life and education

[edit]

Mitrice Richardson was the daughter of Latice Sutton and Michael Richardson. She was raised by her mother and stepfather Larry Sutton in Covina, California.[3][4]

Richardson obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology in 2008 from California State University, Fullerton, after graduating from South Hills High School in West Covina, California.

Richardson was an open lesbian, and at the time of her death, had been dating girlfriend Tessa Moon for about two years.[5][6] She had also competed as a beauty pageant contestant, worked as an intern for a forensic psychologist and part-time as a dancer in an LGBT strip club.[7]

Disappearance

[edit]

On the evening of September 16, 2009, Richardson entered the parking lot of Geoffrey's restaurant in Malibu. Due to what staff and patrons at the restaurant described as "bizarre" behavior and the fact that she was unable to pay her $89 bill, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from the Malibu/Lost Hills Station was called to assess her condition.[8] The officers on the scene purportedly administered a field sobriety test and determined that she was not intoxicated and not under the influence of any substance. She was arrested on charges of "suspicion of not paying for the meal" and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.[9][5][10]

According to the arresting officers, upon her arrest, her phone, purse and money were secured in her car and her car was towed to a tow yard on the Pacific Coast Highway. Richardson was detained and booked at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station approximately ten miles (16 km) up Malibu Canyon.

Although Richardson's mother informed the station of concern for her daughter's mental health, and despite promises from the station personnel that she would not be released until later in the morning, Richardson was released on September 17, 2009, at 12:28 AM with no belongings and no means of calling for assistance. Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said Richardson was released from jail because "She exhibited no signs of mental illness or intoxication. She was fine. She's an adult." She had been invited to wait in the lobby, but declined.[9]

Several hours later, at 6:30 AM, she was seen in the backyard of former KTLA news anchor Bill Smith in Monte Nido. When Smith opened his window and asked if she was OK, Richardson told Smith that she was "resting."[10] Smith then called the police.

Searches

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Site where Richardson's remains were found.

On January 9, 2010, four months after she was reported missing, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department conducted one of the largest-scale searches in the history of the department. Over 300 volunteers trained in search and rescue operations participated in the 18-square-mile (47 km²) search in the area of Malibu Canyon. The search included both air and ground searches of creeks, trails, and ridges. Richardson was not found during this search.[11]

Maurice Dubois, father of slain Escondido, California, teen Amber Dubois, assisted Richardson's family in a two-day search on June 5 and 6, 2010, in the Monte Nido area of Malibu Canyon. Over 100 private-citizen volunteers participated in the search of the area. Although Richardson's remains were not discovered, searchers found racially and sexually offensive graffiti on the walls of a culvert in the canyon. The graffiti was freshly painted and paint cans, brushes and other potential evidence were left at the scene.[12]

The creek bed in Malibu Canyon where Richardson's naked mummified remains were eventually discovered is adjacent to a 21-acre (8.5 ha) ranch that is known for producing pornography. It is very secluded and has direct access to the creek bed. When her body was discovered, the detectives on the case removed her body against the order of the coroner. Though residents reportedly heard screams in that area several nights after Richardson disappeared,[13] her death was deemed to not be a homicide; there was no foul play.[14][15]

Media coverage

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Mitrice appeared on the cover of People magazine in November 2009.[16]

Richardson's disappearance was covered on an episode of Disappeared on the Investigation Discovery channel, entitled "Lost in the Dark"; it first aired on November 19, 2012, as the season 6 premiere.[17]

Richardson’s disappearance is featured on Season 3 of “Hell and Gone” podcast by journalist and private investigator Catherine Townsend. It can be found on iHeart True Crime on iHeartPodcasts.

Lawsuits

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Richardson's family has filed several lawsuits against the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for releasing her from jail even though, they claim, she was experiencing severe bipolar disorder at the time.[18][19] In 2011, her parents, who had sued separately, were awarded $450,000 each.[20] Richardson's girlfriend, Tessa Moon, refutes claims that Richardson had any mental illness.[5]

Richardson's family also asked the California Attorney General's office to review the sheriff's office's handling of the case. In November 2015, after reviewing 500 pages of documents sent with the request, the office of California then-Attorney General Kamala Harris replied that it had not found any grounds for criminal charges against the sheriff or his deputies. The Attorney General's office also found no evidence that the sheriff's office had mishandled Richardson's family's complaint against it. However, in January 2016, the California Attorney General's office reversed itself and announced it was beginning a criminal investigation of the case.[20]

On December 30, 2016, the California Attorney General's office concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support criminal prosecution of anyone involved in the handling of the case.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Alexander Nazaryan On 4/21/16 at 7:01 AM (April 21, 2016). "Why secrecy and suspicion surround the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department". Newsweek. Retrieved December 29, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b Abram, Susan (January 31, 2017). "Mitrice Richardson's family speaks out as state says deputies shouldn't be prosecuted in her death". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
  3. ^ Hall, Carla; Rubin, Joel (July 29, 2010). "Mitrice Richardson May Have Been Spotted in Las Vegas". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 29, 2015. Her parents, who have never been a couple, are divided on whether the new sightings are real.
  4. ^ Kessler, Mike (September 1, 2011). "What Happened to Mitrice Richardson?". Los Angeles. Retrieved March 29, 2015. She knew Covina and the suburbs east of L.A., where she grew up with her mother and stepfather. She knew Fullerton, where she graduated with honors from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in psychology the year before, in 2008.
  5. ^ a b c Boverman, Neal (November 16, 2009). "Where is Mitrice Richardson". The Advocate. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  6. ^ Kessler, Mike (September 1, 2011). "What Happened To Mitrice Richardson? Los Angeles Magazine". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  7. ^ Blankstein, Andrew; Hall, Carla (August 12, 2010). "No Signs of Foul Play in Mitrice Richardson's Death, Authorities Say [Updated]". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  8. ^ Blankstein, Andrew; Hall, Carla. "Long search for Mitrice Richardson comes to tragic end". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Mitrice Richardson Arrested, Released, then Disappeared: Are the Cops to Blame?". cbsnews.com. September 25, 2009. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  10. ^ a b Kessler, Mike (September 1, 2011). "What Happened To Mitrice Richardson". Los Angeles. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  11. ^ Hall, Carla (January 9, 2010). "Search for Mitrice Richardson Draws 300 Volunteers to Malibu, Canyon". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  12. ^ Chapman, Justin (July 22, 2010). "The Handwriting on the Wall". Pasadena Weekly. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  13. ^ Coleman, Andre (July 14, 2011). "Uncovering the truth". Pasadena Weekly. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  14. ^ Hall, Carla; Blankstein, Andrew (August 13, 2010). "Long Search for Mitrice Richardson Comes to Tragic End". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  15. ^ Duke, Alan (August 13, 2010). "Remains Found in Malibu Canyon Identified as Mitrice Richardson". CNN. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  16. ^ "Vanished". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  17. ^ "Disappeared: Lost in the Dark". IMDb. November 19, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  18. ^ Faturechi, Robert (August 23, 2011). "Mitrice Richardson: $900,000 Settlement Tentatively Reached". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  19. ^ Salazar, Denise (May 25, 2011). "Mother of Dead CSUF Grad Files Another Lawsuit". Orange County Register. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  20. ^ a b Abram, Susan (February 2, 2016). "California attorney general opens criminal investigation into Sheriff's Department over Mitrice Richardson case". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
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