CA CA - Mitrice Richardson, 24, Malibu, 17 Sep 2009

[SAMS]

The only problem I had with that theory was that she was spotted by the homeowner in his front yard that night. It wasn't too far from the trail where she was eventually found. I recall mapping it out back then. It looked like she was either wandering around or was trying to escape someone in a neighborhood where she was lost. She had no idea where she was, JMO, after she got off on side roads. It had to be very dark and, of course, she was disoriented. Probably dehydrated, exhausted, hungry, tired, but also panicked.

MOO

Also, a post from 2011 from a long-time WS member whose son worked at the Lost Hills PD

CA - Mitrice Richardson, 24, Malibu, 17 Sept 2009

True. But what I don’t get is how did she die then? From exhaustion? She wasn’t famished, she ate that night at the restaurant. Did they ever know/release COD? Can’t remember...been awhile. I think she was spotted disoriented and followed...crime of opportunity MOO

 

[Betty P]

True. But what I don’t get is how did she die then? From exhaustion? She wasn’t famished, she ate that night at the restaurant. Did they ever know/release COD? Can’t remember...been awhile. I think she was spotted disoriented and followed...crime of opportunity MOO

I don't think they were able to determine how she died, at least the coroner couldn't

Malibu Surfside News: County Coroner Rules Cause of Death for Mitrice Richardson Cannot Be Determined

Her family found some things that were suspicious, though, including:

her bra was unhooked and removed
her jeans were unzipped and found some distance away

Mostly, her remains were skeletal or mummified, so there wasn't much to study.

It seems they could have done more to help her, especially considering her mental state. She was vulnerable and its possible someone took advantage of her after she left the police station.

 

[SAMS]

I don't think they were able to determine how she died, at least the coroner couldn't

Malibu Surfside News: County Coroner Rules Cause of Death for Mitrice Richardson Cannot Be Determined

Her family found some things that were suspicious, though, including:

her bra was unhooked and removed
her jeans were unzipped and found some distance away

Mostly, her remains were skeletal or mummified, so there wasn't much to study.

It seems they could have done more to help her, especially considering her mental state. She was vulnerable and its possible someone took advantage of her after she left the police station.

Ty. Absolutely odd. I agree with their concerns and what you’ve added here.

 

[katydid23]

katydid23 you have great points but if she was having some sort of mental break she would not be in her right mind mentally to realize to call or parents or help. That also means she was not in the proper mental state to leave the police station. They should have kept her on a 5150

After she was held in custody, calmed down, and was told the charges were all dropped, there was no evidence that she was a candidate for a 5150:


A 5150 is an application for an i n v o l u n t a r y psychiatric evaluation and/or treatment when a person is deemed, as a result of a mental disorder, a Danger to Self, or Danger to Others, or Gravely Disabled. When a person meets these legal criteria to be placed on a 5150 hold, the person is transported to a designated psychiatric inpatient facility for evaluation and treatment for up to 72-hours against their will


She did not display any to those ^^^^extreme behaviours at the time she was being released to go home.

She was no longer drunk or high, and no longer angry at the restaurant or the cops. She was relieved she was being allowed to go home. She was given a phone and she told LE she had secured a ride.

That street is a very safe, well lit area. There are some all night fast food restaurants less than a half a mile down the same road as the Lost Hills station. If she wanted to wait for her ride she could have sat in the police lobby or in their front area or walked to the Jack in the Box or the McDonalds.

I am not going to blame LE for not holding her on a 5150 because she was not being violent or irrational or gravely disabled at that time. The bar for 5150 is pretty high.

She had no charges against her, and she had a clear legal right to leave the premises. Can you imagine the backlash if they had denied her the right to leave, and kept her under false premises?

As for her possible mental break, I think that came later, after she made a few poor decisions as she left the station. But I don't think we can blame LE for that because they need some evidence that she was lying and didn't want to wait for her ride, or maybe didn't even have a ride.

My brother was severely schizophrenic at times in his life. Sometimes after speaking to him on the phone, from 8 hours away, I would call in a wellness check, and tell LE that he needed a 5150. I even played them some of his rants and irrational thoughts in trying to help them understand.

But in reality. even when he was hearing a chorus of voices in his head, and was sure that the CIA was coming to kill him, he could almost always get past the 5150 'test.' They ask basic questions, where are we, what year is it, who is the president, etc etc.

My brother told me that he had to muffle the voices and block them out as best as he could, in order to stay out of the 72 hour hold. Most patients have the ability to focus hard, just long enough to do so. It is exhausting and he'd call later and scream at me, accusing me of being part of the CIA plot to kill him.


I think it is quite possible that she was manic, as she hadn't slept in days, according to friends of hers, IIRC.

But the cops aren't psychiatrists and all they can do is see that she can hold a rational conversation and is not an immediate danger to herself or others. If there are no charges against her, and she demands to be released, she has that right.

I think she was in a manic phase, and began walking towards the beach, through the Malibu Hills.

She had come from Malibu when she was first arrested. That area is remote and rugged. If she began hiking and found herself in the hills, she probably became panicky and irrational and exhausted. She also may have been dehydrated and very cold.

When that happens, people often begin taking off their own clothing, in a weird symptom of hypothermia. I think it is possible that she died of natural causes.

But it is also possible she ran into some of the 'crazies' that are known to hang out up there. There are a few types of dangerous people up in those mountains. There are transients and vagrants that camp out up there, and are known to do meth, etc etc. That would have been bad if she stepped into their world.

There are gangs who hang around up there off the main roads, and there are tagging signs seen on some of the hiking trails, which is scary.

There used to be 'grows' of illegal marijuana as well.

And the local teens all go off roading in that area. There are expensive homes up there, dotting the area, but it is still remote.

Both my kids used to sneak around up there as teens and I hated it. They were not supposed to, but once they have their own cars and think they know everything.......

 

[Betty P]

Ty. Absolutely odd. I agree with their concerns and what you’ve added here.

I also never understood (or agree with) making a woman leave her handbag and wallet in her car when it's being towed/impounded. That makes zero sense and I don't recall any rational explanation from the PD. None. At that hour of night, they knew her car would be impounded overnight and that she'd be left with no money, cell phone, credit cards, ID, etc. to get home. Why would they do that? Was it some excuse to search her purse, etc. without a warrant? What about her cell phone?

If Mitrice had an attorney representing her that night, she would still be alive today. JMO

 

[SAMS]

I also never understood (or agree with) making a woman leave her handbag and wallet in her car when it's being towed/impounded. That makes zero sense and I don't recall any rational explanation from the PD. None. At that hour of night, they knew her car would be impounded overnight and that she'd be left with no money, cell phone, credit cards, ID, etc. to get home. Why would they do that? Was it some excuse to search her purse, etc. without a warrant? What about her cell phone?

If Mitrice had an attorney representing her that night, she would still be alive today. JMO

Triple like.

 

[SAMS]

Glad to see this thread coming alive again, Mitrice was a victim of foul play, IMO

 

[katydid23]

I don't think they were able to determine how she died, at least the coroner couldn't

Malibu Surfside News: County Coroner Rules Cause of Death for Mitrice Richardson Cannot Be Determined

Her family found some things that were suspicious, though, including:

her bra was unhooked and removed
her jeans were unzipped and found some distance away

Mostly, her remains were skeletal or mummified, so there wasn't much to study.

It seems they could have done more to help her, especially considering her mental state. She was vulnerable and its possible someone took advantage of her after she left the police station.

I think it is kind of unfair, to say they didn't do enough to 'help her.'

How do the police 'help' a grown woman, who has the legal right to leave the station, and demands to be able to do so? They would be castigated if they even tried to keep her against her will.

She was not getting along with some of her family members and was determined to leave before they arrived to pick her up. She has that right. The police cannot hold her if she is not charged with anything and does not exhibit dangerous behaviours.

Her family was well aware of her issues at the time. They were trying to help her but if someone refuses there is not a lot that can be done until they have done something that forces doctors or LE to get involved.

I feel that it is unfair to blame the cops, when they tried to help cut her some slack. They didn't press any charges, which they could have done for the pot and pills in her car, and for running out on the bill. They helped convince the restaurant to let it go and just give her a trespass order---to keep her from having theft charges.

It feels kind of ironic that they were then being wildly accused of vicious crimes, for essentially agreeing to be lenient with her.

And that one officer, a long time public servant , was accused of various vicious crimes, only because he happened to leave the station around the same time she did. No other evidence to support any of those accusations at all.

 

[katydid23]

Glad to see this thread coming alive again, Mitrice was a victim of foul play, IMO

She might have been, but I am not 100% sure of it.

 

[SAMS]

I think it is kind of unfair, to say they didn't do enough to 'help her.'

How do the police 'help' a grown woman, who has the legal right to leave the station, and demands to be able to do so? They would be castigated if they even tried to keep her against her will.

She was not getting along with some of her family members and was determined to leave before they arrived to pick her up. She has that right. The police cannot hold her if she is not charged with anything and does not exhibit dangerous behaviours.

Her family was well aware of her issues at the time. They were trying to help her but if someone refuses there is not a lot that can be done until they have done something that forces doctors or LE to get involved.

I feel that it is unfair to blame the cops, when they tried to help cut her some slack. They didn't press any charges, which they could have done for the pot and pills in her car, and for running out on the bill. They helped convince the restaurant to let it go and just give her a trespass order---to keep her from having theft charges.

It feels kind of ironic that they were then being wildly accused of vicious crimes, for essentially agreeing to be lenient with her.

And that one officer, a long time public servant , was accused of various vicious crimes, only because he happened to leave the station around the same time she did. No other evidence to support any of those accusations at all.

Can you explain why LE would prevent her from taking her belongings? Just curious what your opinion is?

 

[katydid23]

I also never understood (or agree with) making a woman leave her handbag and wallet in her car when it's being towed/impounded. That makes zero sense and I don't recall any rational explanation from the PD. None. At that hour of night, they knew her car would be impounded overnight and that she'd be left with no money, cell phone, credit cards, ID, etc. to get home. Why would they do that? Was it some excuse to search her purse, etc. without a warrant? What about her cell phone?

If Mitrice had an attorney representing her that night, she would still be alive today. JMO

I think there is more to the story.

IIRC, one reason they wanted it all left inside was there was reason to believe she may have been using stolen ID, in trying to pay or not pay the restaurant bill. There was also reason to believe she may have had drugs in her car. They wanted to keep that evidence in one place---and I may be misremembering---but didn't she originally leave it all in the car herself?

I thought that when they came to speak to her, she then asked to go get her wallet out of the car, and they detained her and said NO, come with us for an interview.

If they are investigating a potential crime, they don't usually allow someone to go back to their car and look around for anything.

 

[katydid23]

Can you explain why LE would prevent her from taking her belongings? Just curious what your opinion is?

When you are under investigation of a crime, you are not allowed to go into your vehicle and grab things.

Her belongings would be listed in an inventory report and held for her, when she picked up her vehicle.

At that point, they had no idea what was in her car---fake IDs, drugs, weapons? They only knew she was acting very strangely, had several people concerned and she refused to pay her 89 dollar bill.

Standard protocol would be to separate her from her vehicle until they should check things out. That would be for her safety, the safety of others and of LE.

How could they know she wasn't totally unhinged and would ask to get her wallet and then grab a hidden weapon instead? Maybe shoot herself or stab someone? It happens.

The safest thing for everyone is to take her back to the station and investigate. She was able to pass their interview and their concerns.

I think many of the articles are slanted in an anti-cop agenda and ignore some of the initial facts.

The standard requirement for a Mental Health Evaluation is a pretty high bar. I don't think she seemed to be a danger to herself or to others. Legally, they cannot hold her for that kind of evaluation without those indications.

Her parents had been concerned about her for awhile, but they were never able to get her held on a 5150 previously either. I think that is important to remember.

 

[Betty P]

When you are under investigation of a crime, you are not allowed to go into your vehicle and grab things.

Her belongings would be listed in an inventory report and held for her, when she picked up her vehicle.

At that point, they had no idea what was in her car---fake IDs, drugs, weapons? They only knew she was acting very strangely, had several people concerned and she refused to pay her 89 dollar bill.

Standard protocol would be to separate her from her vehicle until they should check things out. That would be for her safety, the safety of others and of LE.

How could they know she wasn't totally unhinged and would ask to get her wallet and then grab a hidden weapon instead? Maybe shoot herself or stab someone? It happens.

The safest thing for everyone is to take her back to the station and investigate. She was able to pass their interview and their concerns.

I think many of the articles are slanted in an anti-cop agenda and ignore some of the initial facts.

The standard requirement for a Mental Health Evaluation is a pretty high bar. I don't think she seemed to be a danger to herself or to others. Legally, they cannot hold her for that kind of evaluation without those indications.

Her parents had been concerned about her for awhile, but they were never able to get her held on a 5150 previously either. I think that is important to remember.

No offense intended, but her belongings should have been kept at the police station, so she could have retrieved them without having to wait until the impound lot re-opened. LE had already searched the purse. At some point, consideration for the safety and rights of citizens needs to come into play. It makes no sense for her to end up in the situation of being released from a police station in the middle of the night with no car, cell phone, credit card or money.

 

[katydid23]

No offense intended, but her belongings should have been kept at the police station, so she could have retrieved them without having to wait until the impound lot re-opened. LE had already searched the purse. At some point, consideration for the safety and rights of citizens needs to come into play. It makes no sense for her to end up in the situation of being released from a police station in the middle of the night with no car, cell phone, credit card or money.

She was released, but did not need to walk out into the night, without her things.

She could have waited for her mother, or for her friend, and things would have been fine.

I am not sure that her having her vehicle and her cell phone and wallet would have made everything suddenly alright. She had all of those things when she went into the Malibu restaurant and things went sideways.

 

[Betty P]

She was released, but did not need to walk out into the night, without her things.

She could have waited for her mother, or for her friend, and things would have been fine.

I am not sure that her having her vehicle and her cell phone and wallet would have made everything suddenly alright. She had all of those things when she went into the Malibu restaurant and things went sideways.

Having her cell phone with her that night may or may not have made a difference. It could have allowed her to call someone for help if she was lost or in a bad situation. In general, it's poor policy for anyone detained late at night in the police station, especially if they're only suspects of some minor misdemeanor. Police have no right to confiscate personal property and make it inaccessible to citizens when they're released. Assuming they use the same procedure with other people suspected of misdemeanors, its bad policy.

 

[lex20019]

Missing Woman: Dad Believes She is Being Held Against Her Will

I was reading this article that talks about her parents and her disappearance, some things don't add up to me.

"Whitmore said the jailer offered to let Richardson stay through the night, but she declined."

"Sutton said she called the Malibu-Lost Hills station to ask about posting bail and picking up her daughter, but deputies told her they had released her because they did not have room to keep her in jail."

"Whitmore says deputies at the Lost Hills station asked Mitrice if she wanted to stay the night and she declined. Whitmore says she also signed a document indicating she was not drunk."

If they did not have room to keep in overnight why did the jailer offer the stay in jail to her, it also says that the deputies told her parents that she was no longer intoxicated but her father said "he was worried about his daughter's mental state after seeing her booking photo."

 

[Dnp2be]

Can you explain why LE would prevent her from taking her belongings? Just curious what your opinion is?

I’m not even sure they prevented her. I have read this entire forum and a lot of the links (at least the ones that still work -many don’t). I don’t recall hearing she was refused her belongings. I will share my thoughts on this.

If Mitrice had never been arrested before and/or had an altered mental status (d/t psychotic break or whatever), she probably never even considered what she would need upon release from jail. It may have been Confusing and frightening even for someone who isn’t having altered thought process. Also, I believe most LEO don’t critically think through the process of jailing and release either. This may be especially true if they do not rotate shifts at the jail And if the jail hires CO’s who are not actually LEO’s.

Therefore, what I believe happened was that the purse, phone, etc were already in the car. MS didn’t have the insight to ask them to grab it and take it to booking with her and it was towed with the vehicle. I personally have had this happen to me before. My bf had to call the impound to retrieve my wallet and purse. All IMO..

 

[Betty P]

I’m not even sure they prevented her. I have read this entire forum and a lot of the links (at least the ones that still work -many don’t). I don’t recall hearing she was refused her belongings. I will share my thoughts on this.

If Mitrice had never been arrested before and/or had an altered mental status (d/t psychotic break or whatever), she probably never even considered what she would need upon release from jail. It may have been Confusing and frightening even for someone who isn’t having altered thought process. Also, I believe most LEO don’t critically think through the process of jailing and release either. This may be especially true if they do not rotate shifts at the jail And if the jail hires CO’s who are not actually LEO’s.

Therefore, what I believe happened was that the purse, phone, etc were already in the car. MS didn’t have the insight to ask them to grab it and take it to booking with her and it was towed with the vehicle. I personally have had this happen to me before. My bf had to call the impound to retrieve my wallet and purse. All IMO..

Thank goodness LE was considerate of her situation and offered to help her retrieve her belongings. They handled this case in such an exemplary fashion. Even going so far as to retrieve her remains before the coroner's office could get there and leaving some of them, along with other evidence, behind.

 

[SAMS]

Thank goodness LE was considerate of her situation and offered to help her retrieve her belongings. They handled this case in such an exemplary fashion. Even going so far as to retrieve her remains before the coroner's office could get there and leaving some of them, along with other evidence, behind.

And just when I thought I could love you more Betty P.

 

[S_RJ]

The Mitrice Richardson disappearance/death isn’t the only instance in the Calabasas/Malibu area of mysterious disappearances/deaths which make about as much sense as what happened to Mitrice.

The cases most similar to that of MR are:

Elaine Park
Jennifer Lorber
Beldina Nyadwe
Julia Christine Snyder

Additionally there was the very resent and highly publicized murder at Malibu Creek State Park of Tristan Beaudette which is still unsolved as well as Matthew Weaver jr who is still missing under highly suspicious circumstance. Not to mention all unidentified/unexplained human skeletal remains discovered in the last 10 years.

THE LOCAL MALIBU actually mapped some of the unusual activity between Malibu and Calabasas that happened since the discovery of Mitrice’s remains.

Not sure if any of these are connected to one another other then the area in which they occurred and possibly the LE station involved in investigating each incident.