DC DC - Davante Richardson, 28, vehicle found 1600 miles away in Wyoming, 22 Jul 2020

[mlhenn]

For Immediate Release From: Sheriff Blackburn
Posted July 31, 2020 at 12:10 AM

IMO, this is a statement though hardly ever actually posted, it’s something many LE agencies feel.

 

[mlhenn]

I wish this case would grab more attention from media than what it has so far.
IMO, the case in general is a strange one.

Questions:
1. Anyone local or familiar with the terrain/geography around the location his vehicle was found who wouldn’t mind giving a quick overview of it?
2. Curious to how legit this meeting with Kanye was or how legit Davante thought it was?
3. Also curious whether Davante made it to KW’s place and was turned away or left?

 

[iamnotagolem]

I wish this case would grab more attention from media than what it has so far.
IMO, the case in general is a strange one.

Questions:
1. Anyone local or familiar with the terrain/geography around the location his vehicle was found who wouldn’t mind giving a quick overview of it?
2. Curious to how legit this meeting with Kanye was or how legit Davante thought it was?
3. Also curious whether Davante made it to KW’s place and was turned away or left?

Its been a while since I’ve been in the exact location he went missing but I was in the general area this past weekend. It’s mostly sage brush and the area is dry and desolate.

I doubt he made it to Kanye’s place, I didn’t go near his place in the Big Horns but he’s gone to great lengths to gain privacy at his ranch south of Cody so I imagine it’d not be easy for someone just drive or walk up to either of his places.

If I get back up to that area I’ll make a point to go to where his car was found to take pics and look around.

 

[mlhenn]

I doubt he made it to Kanye’s place, I didn’t go near his place in the Big Horns but he’s gone to great lengths to gain privacy at his ranch south of Cody so I imagine it’d not be easy for someone just drive or walk up to either of his places.

Agreed. I don’t see Davante driving up to Kanye’s place easily or even at all without being greeted by security measures of some sort.
IMO, I think if someone actually had ‘confirmed’ plans to meet with a person like Kanye, it would take place elsewhere...not at his home.


....

Thanks for posting a general description of the terrain/geography.

 

[tarabull]

The last communication on record from Davante was a late-night text message to a friend, telling him he was intent on starting his music career and was going to see his friend. Marquita believed that friend to be Kanye West.

“Davante loved his music and wanted to go see him,” she said.

“We thought, maybe he made contact. But apparently, neither Kanye or his people saw or heard from him, either.”

She said she was stunned when she learned that his vehicle was found in a small town in Wyoming.

“He’d never been to Wyoming, he didn’t know anything about the area, so when (authorities) contacted us, telling us they’d found his vehicle, his phones, a laptop, we couldn’t believe it. No one leaves their phone behind. Why didn’t he take them?”

 

[mlhenn]

“We thought, maybe he made contact. But apparently, neither Kanye or his people saw or heard from him, either.”

Snipped..
“But apparently, neither Kanye or his people saw or heard from him, either.”

Did LE contact Kanye and his people or is this more of just an assumption? (Not that I believe any of them saw or heard from him.)

The last communication on record from Davante was a late-night text message to a friend, telling him he was intent on starting his music career and was going to see his friend. Marquita believed that friend to be Kanye West.

“Davante loved his music and wanted to go see him,” she said.

Snipped
...he was intent on starting his music career and was going to see his friend. Marquita believed that friend to be Kanye West.

“Davante loved his music and wanted to go see him,” she said.

I’m going to be honest; Davante referring to Kanye as his friend and close enough that he felt it was a rational idea to just go see him is worrisome. IMO.

 

[annpats]

I’m going to be honest; Davante referring to Kanye as his friend and close enough that he felt it was a rational idea to just go see him is worrisome. IMO.

Yes, I think that too, sadly. Did Davante have some sort of delusional thinking before he went missing? How was his mental health?

To drive all the way from Washington, D.C. to Wyoming on the basis that Kanye West was his friend and would just see him if he went to his house, sounds a bit bizarre.
It also makes it likely that Davante would be unable to cope if he was refused entry by security (if he got that far?) or had another set-back, either problems with the car, getting lost etc.

But what were the chances he could run into something nefarious all the way out here? Not very high.

I think the stress of long drive, the possible poor mental health and becoming disorientated by getting lost made Davante panic and made him do irrational things....leave his car, phone and try to go cross-country on foot.

And I think he's still out there in the Wyoming back country somewhere.
The searchers and dogs just couldn't find him, as in so many cases.

MOO.

 

[JMapes]

For Immediate Release From: Sheriff Blackburn
Posted July 31, 2020 at 12:10 AM

I'm just realizing this update is now over a year old. The end of the post recommends contacting investigator Israel James at Washington DC Metro Police for further information...Has anyone tried?

 

[Queena]

Sounds like a bipolar episode to me. I pray that he is found, but I bet the elements caused his death. I pray that his family has closure.

 

[JerseyGirl]

DC Man Still Missing More Than a Year After Car Found in Wyoming

Blackburn says one theory they considered is Richardson was trying to meet Ye, who owns a ranch in the county where the car was found. The sheriff’s office says they interviewed Ye’s security team and don’t believe Richardson made it there.

 

[LotusPawprint]

For Immediate Release From: Sheriff Blackburn
Posted July 31, 2020 at 12:10 AM

I know that you posted this four months ago and the Sheriffs Office post was from July 2020, but
"At this time our agency is assisting Metro PD and we have been specifically requested by them not to make any releases of information regarding the case in an effort to preserve the integrity of the investigation as it is very complex.'


Fifteen months later and no significant updates or progress on the complex investigation?


Laptops and cell phones left behind - if he was communicating with someone, the devices should have provided some leads. A couple of you mentioned what came to my mind -- the possibility he was catfished by someone pretending to be associated with KW?

If someone harmed him or the car was staged, why leave the electronics behind?



This, from January, while not central to the investigation, ticks me off .... I know Metro Dc Police are busy people, but it would take the investigating officer there all of 20 seconds to respond saying 'no new info, still active investigation'.

"While numerous attempts were made, without success, to contact the investigating officer in Washington, D.C., Krieder said anyone with information about Davante’s disappearance can contact the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office"

Search continues for D.C. man missing for six months

 

[lindamichelle1]

Davante is still missing. Bump

 

[branmuffin]

Just reviewing this case again. One thing that stood out to me this time, is that he spent time in Lincoln MO to go to university but returned to DC without finishing his year. DR went to live with his father in Lincoln in 2010 when he was eleven. I've read he eventually went back to DC but how long did he actually live in Lincoln? Long enough to start going to Lincoln University? If he did live there for a significant period it's possible he had friends that lived in Lincoln that he met up with. Did his dad still live in Lincoln in 2020? Was part of his travel itinerary to visit Lincoln on the way to Wyoming? It takes about 16 hours to drive to Lincoln from DC which would be a good midway point to stop. Another 16 hours to drive to Cody, WY.

When a high profile individual like Kanye has a security team what are the parameters for ensuring the safety of their focus? How far outside the perimeter of Kanye's property could they legally be allowed to stop and interrogate individuals they felt posed a danger to their charge?

LE stated that they spoke to the security team and they were helpful and polite. Does that mean they said they had no contact with DR?

I read somewhere that LE stated DR's car was 'processsed' but I haven't been able to find a legitimate source for that statement. It was when talking about how exceptionally clean his vehicle was, no fast food wrappers and empty drink cans or the usual detritus people can accumulate on a long drive, especially if they aren't the type to throw garbage out the window. I haven't heard either what they found on his laptop or phones.

I don't really know what to think about his disappearance. Certain aspects suggest death by misadventure but other aspects (especially the info regarding his vehicle being processed is true) suggest foul play.

 

[Laughing]

Completely agree about the car being 'processed.' A cross-country drive does not result in a clean car IMHO.

@branmuffin , can you clarify? Did Mr. Richardson attend Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, Lincoln University in Oakland, California, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, possibly Lincoln College in Chicago....

Where did his father live at the time mentioned?

Thank you!

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[branmuffin]

I have been advised the YT video below is an accepted source of information.

According to DR's FB page he attended Lincoln U in Jefferson City MO which is about one and a half hours from Lincoln due west. Lincoln is where his father lived. I just watched a YT video where his mom came on the phone to discuss DR's absence. See link.

She stated she sent DR to live with his dad at the age of 13 because his dad is military and he needed that discipline. He lived in Lincoln long enough to graduate high school and briefly attended Lincoln U before returning to DC.

I didn't know he had texted a friend in either Jefferson City or Lincoln to tell him he was going to see Kanye. One troubling aspect of this case that his mom mentioned is that he left all his belongings behind in DC. He left all his clothes and musical equipment, he only had his tattooing equipment since he'd given his mom a tattoo the last time he'd seen her. That equipment was not at his home.

Based on the above information I am beginning to think there are definite elements of a mental health crisis that he was dealing with. I really would like his friend(s) in MO to clarify what had gone down during the visit. I also hope that if DR's dad still lived in Lincoln and DR visited him he could provide some input to the situation. I'd like to know whether or not DR did somehow make it up to one of Kanye's ranch.

 

[mlhenn]

I have been advised the YT video below is an accepted source of information.

I just watched a YT video where his mom came on the phone to discuss DR's absence. See link.

Is the YT video or link found in a different post?
Sorry if I’m looking over it…

 

[branmuffin]

Is the YT video or link found in a different post?
Sorry if I’m looking over it…

Sorry, I thought I linked it.

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[tarabull]

I have been advised the YT video below is an accepted source of information.

According to DR's FB page he attended Lincoln U in Jefferson City MO which is about one and a half hours from Lincoln due west. Lincoln is where his father lived. I just watched a YT video where his mom came on the phone to discuss DR's absence. See link.

She stated she sent DR to live with his dad at the age of 13 because his dad is military and he needed that discipline. He lived in Lincoln long enough to graduate high school and briefly attended Lincoln U before returning to DC.

I didn't know he had texted a friend in either Jefferson City or Lincoln to tell him he was going to see Kanye. One troubling aspect of this case that his mom mentioned is that he left all his belongings behind in DC. He left all his clothes and musical equipment, he only had his tattooing equipment since he'd given his mom a tattoo the last time he'd seen her. That equipment was not at his home.

Based on the above information I am beginning to think there are definite elements of a mental health crisis that he was dealing with. I really would like his friend(s) in MO to clarify what had gone down during the visit. I also hope that if DR's dad still lived in Lincoln and DR visited him he could provide some input to the situation. I'd like to know whether or not DR did somehow make it up to one of Kanye's ranch.

BBM^^^ its been for sale since last year...fwiw.

 

[DeDee]

BBM^^^ its been for sale since last year...fwiw.

Even if our victim did manage to contact anyone at that ranch, there is no way they'd disclose that information to LEO or to anyone else.

I truly feel sorrow for DRs mother who already lost one child. It must be tragic for her to consider she may have lost her son as well.

my own sad opinion

 

[branmuffin]

BBM^^^ its been for sale since last year...fwiw.

I know, but it hasn't sold yet so I'm sure there's any number of indivuals who'd probably scope it out to see if they could take pictures, etc. If so, I would think there is still a security detail there at the property.