Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Episode 101: The Disappearance and Undetermined Death of Mitrice Richardson
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Episode 101: The Disappearance and Undetermined Death of Mitrice Richardson
Mitrice Richardson, a 24-year-old psychology graduate, disappeared on September 17, 2009, after being released from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in Los Angeles, following her arrest for failing to pay an $89 restaurant bill and possessing a small amount of marijuana. Exhibiting erratic behavior suggestive of a mental health crisis, possibly undiagnosed bipolar disorder, Mitrice was released at 12:28 a.m. without her phone, wallet, or car, despite her mother’s plea to hold her until morning. Last seen alive resting in a resident’s backyard six hours later, her skeletal remains were found 11 months later in a remote canyon, with her clothing 700 feet away and no clear cause of death determined. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department faced criticism for releasing her, mishandling her remains, and obstructing the coroner’s investigation, prompting lawsuits and allegations of foul play, though her death was ruled undetermined, not a homicide. Her case led to policy changes for missing persons and mental health evaluations, but her family continues to seek justice, believing she was murdered.
Branch of Hope for May 2025:
The JED Foundation - Jedfoundation.org
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak
01:40 Mitrice Richardson
1:28:20 The Brand of Hope - JED Foundation
Sources:
Suspicious death: Mitrice Richardson | Malibu, CA | Uncovered. (n.d.). https://uncovered.com/cases/mitrice-richardson
Office of Independent Review, Gennaco, M. J., Katz, W. W., Miller, R., Ruhlin, J., Hernandez, C. L., Arias, A. A., Teran, D. M., Shasty, B., Calderon, A., Avery, M., & Newkirk-Ma, S. (2012). REPORT REVIEWING THE INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE DISCOVERY AND RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF MITRICE RICHARDSON (AND UPDATE ON PRIOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC REFORM OF RELEASE PROCEDURES). http://shq.lasdnews.net/shq/LASD_Oversight/Richardson_Coroner_LASD%20final.pdf
Croft, C. (2025, May 3). Lost compassion [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/156140192
Veliz, L. (2022, October 17). The tragic 2009 disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson. Grunge. https://www.grunge.com/1052145/the-tragic-2009-disappearance-and-death-of-mitrice-richardson/
The Jed Foundation. (2024, August 30). The Story of JED | The JED Foundation. https://jedfoundation.org/the-story-of-jed/
Sengupta, S. (2024, April 20). Mitrice Richardson Murder: What led to her tragic end? The Cinemaholic. https://thecinemaholic.com/mitrice-richardson-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/
Join The Dark Oak Discussion:
Patreon
The Dark Oak Podcast Website
TikTok
Youtube
This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep
View all episodes
By Just Us Gals Productions
4.6
5454 ratings
Mitrice Richardson, a 24-year-old psychology graduate, disappeared on September 17, 2009, after being released from the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station in Los Angeles, following her arrest for failing to pay an $89 restaurant bill and possessing a small amount of marijuana. Exhibiting erratic behavior suggestive of a mental health crisis, possibly undiagnosed bipolar disorder, Mitrice was released at 12:28 a.m. without her phone, wallet, or car, despite her mother’s plea to hold her until morning. Last seen alive resting in a resident’s backyard six hours later, her skeletal remains were found 11 months later in a remote canyon, with her clothing 700 feet away and no clear cause of death determined. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department faced criticism for releasing her, mishandling her remains, and obstructing the coroner’s investigation, prompting lawsuits and allegations of foul play, though her death was ruled undetermined, not a homicide. Her case led to policy changes for missing persons and mental health evaluations, but her family continues to seek justice, believing she was murdered.
Branch of Hope for May 2025:
The JED Foundation - Jedfoundation.org
Chapters:
00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak
01:40 Mitrice Richardson
1:28:20 The Brand of Hope - JED Foundation
Sources:
Suspicious death: Mitrice Richardson | Malibu, CA | Uncovered. (n.d.). https://uncovered.com/cases/mitrice-richardson
Office of Independent Review, Gennaco, M. J., Katz, W. W., Miller, R., Ruhlin, J., Hernandez, C. L., Arias, A. A., Teran, D. M., Shasty, B., Calderon, A., Avery, M., & Newkirk-Ma, S. (2012). REPORT REVIEWING THE INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE DISCOVERY AND RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS OF MITRICE RICHARDSON (AND UPDATE ON PRIOR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC REFORM OF RELEASE PROCEDURES). http://shq.lasdnews.net/shq/LASD_Oversight/Richardson_Coroner_LASD%20final.pdf
Croft, C. (2025, May 3). Lost compassion [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/156140192
Veliz, L. (2022, October 17). The tragic 2009 disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson. Grunge. https://www.grunge.com/1052145/the-tragic-2009-disappearance-and-death-of-mitrice-richardson/
The Jed Foundation. (2024, August 30). The Story of JED | The JED Foundation. https://jedfoundation.org/the-story-of-jed/
Sengupta, S. (2024, April 20). Mitrice Richardson Murder: What led to her tragic end? The Cinemaholic. https://thecinemaholic.com/mitrice-richardson-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/
Join The Dark Oak Discussion:
Patreon
The Dark Oak Podcast Website
TikTok
Youtube
This episode of The Dark Oak was created, researched, written, recorded, hosted, edited, published, and marketed by Cynthia and Stefanie of Just Us Gals Productions with artwork by Justyse Himes and Music by Ryan Creep
More shows like The Dark Oak
View all
Missing
3,294 Listeners
The Vanished Podcast
15,308 Listeners
The Trail Went Cold
3,147 Listeners
Already Gone Podcast
3,994 Listeners
Crimelines® True Crime
4,239 Listeners
Gone Cold - Texas True Crime
1,903 Listeners
Trace Evidence
4,017 Listeners
MURDERISH
3,444 Listeners
Last Seen Alive
901 Listeners
Coffee and Cases Podcast
614 Listeners
THEY DISAPPEARED
266 Listeners
Missing Persons
471 Listeners
And Then They Were Gone
851 Listeners
Where are they?
404 Listeners
Twisted Travel and True Crime
285 Listeners