On a September evening in 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson walked into a Malibu restaurant. She wasn't quite herself, and by the end of the night staff had called the sheriff's department—not just because she couldn't pay her bill, but because they were worried about her safety.

Hours later, Mitrice was released from the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, just after midnight, alone and without her phone, purse, or car. She was never seen alive again.

In Part 1 of this two-part case, we retrace Mitrice's final known hours—from the restaurant call that first brought deputies to Geoffrey's, to her unexpected release into the dark Malibu canyon night. What happened in the hours that followed has never been fully explained.

Mitrice Richardson was vibrant, ambitious, and deeply loved. This is her story.

If you have any information about the disappearance and death of Mitrice Richardson, please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at (323) 890-5500.