With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Missing for Nearly a Year, Mitrice Richardson May be in Las Vegas
Mitrice Richardson
Mitrice Richardson
Authorities may be closer than ever to finding Mitrice's Richardson, the 25-year-old woman missing since the day she was released from custody close to a year ago. Richardson's father, Michael, said he was told there's been around 80 possible sightings of her in Las Vegas, according to the LA Times. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Departemnt would't confirm that number, but spokesperson Steve Whitmore told the LA Times that "they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't believe they had credible information of her whereabouts. They want to prove or disprove beyond a shadow of a doubt that these sightings are indeed fact or indeed not fact."Richardson was arrested last year September after she could not pay her $89 bill at Geoffrey's Malibu. Officers found a small amount of marijuana in her car, impounded it and booked her at the Lost Hills station in Agoura Hills. Hours later at approximately 1:25 a.m. she was released, walking out with no car and no cell phone. Other than a few apparent sightings in the Santa Monica Mountains that morning, she was never heard from again.
Richardson's parents contended something was wrong with her and that sheriff's deputies shouldn't have let her go on her own, citing the bizarre appearance in her booking photo and the way reportedly spoke at the restaurant. Staff from the restaurant said "said she was from Mars and started speaking in a made-up language," reported the Times last year. "She did tell my valet at one point that she was here to avenge Michael Jackson's death."
The Sheriff's Department said she acted normally while in custody and that there were no signs of mental trouble. But at the request of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors, the investigation into her missing status continued, which included some massive searches in the mountain range. Her parents have filed lawsuits that claim the department was negligent.
Sponsored message
There's no guarantee that Richardson is in Las Vegas, but a press conference will be held tomorrow with local police. "Please let us know you're OK," Whitmore said. "You're not in trouble. You've done nothing wrong. You are not the subject of a criminal investigation. You will not be arrested."
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
