Remains found in Malibu Canyon said to be that of a woman; link, if any, to Mitrice Richardson is unclear
The skeletal remains found Monday afternoon in Malibu Canyon are believed to be that of a woman, according to a law enforcement source.
Women's clothing was also found near the scene, said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing.
L.A. County sheriff's officials and the L.A. coroner's office are trying to determine whether the remains belong to Mitrice Richardson, who has been missing since September, or one of several people who were reported missing in the area.
The bones were found about 2 1/2 miles from the last credible sighting of Richardson.
The L.A. coroner's office said it was conducting exams on the remains Tuesday morning.
Police investigators went to a remote area of Malibu Canyon on Monday afternoon after park rangers told L.A. County sheriff's officials that they'd found what appeared to be human remains.
The bones were found more than 20 miles southeast of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station. Richardson vanished after being released from Sheriff's Department custody on Sept. 17, 2009.
Last month, authorities held a news conference to say that Richardson could be alive in Las Vegas.
But authorities have neither located her nor established for certain that it was Richardson who had been spotted, and not a woman who resembles her.
Nothing has been definitive since Richardson -- a Cal State Fullerton graduate whose 25th birthday was in April -- showed up at Geoffrey's restaurant in Malibu last Sept. 16, acting bizarrely and speaking gibberish. Unable to pay her $89 dinner bill, she was arrested and taken into custody.
Shortly after midnight, she was released from the Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff's station in Calabasas without her car, which had been impounded, or her cellphone and purse, which were in the car. Several months later, police investigators discovered evidence in her diaries that she was probably suffering from severe bipolar disorder.
-- Carla Hall and Andrew Blankstein
Photo: Mitrice Richardson. Credit: KTLA via Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Yes it is very sad that anybody lost thier lives, and are just being found this long after thier death. However to all those who are blaming the sheriff's for letting Matrice leave the station on her own, the police are not babysitters. If the police had to diagnose and babysit all the mentally unstable people that they arrest then they wouldnt get anything else done.
Posted by: Sarah | August 10, 2010 at 02:48 PM
A quick cover forthcoming sooner than soon...
Posted by: Michael Boyd | August 10, 2010 at 03:26 PM
I agree with the comment posted by mary, the Sheriff's Department was following procedure. It is not their custom to drive someone home after they've been processed. Further, it was not known at that time that she may be bipolar either. My condolences to her family but suing the Sheriff's Department will never bring Matrice back. If the Sherrif's Department is sued and Matrice's family wins, what's next, free bail money for people that have been arrested?
Posted by: PS | August 10, 2010 at 03:39 PM
I can not figure out way her car was impounded over a $89 tab. This should have been a simple cite and release.
Posted by: Scott | August 10, 2010 at 03:41 PM
Beginning around July 28 there were multiple reports of possibly sighting her in Las Vegas. Is this now conclusive proof that there was no validity to the sightings?
Posted by: Morgan St. James | August 10, 2010 at 03:47 PM
This news is very sad! If it is indeed her, I hope this brings closure to her family and friends. Now I think all efforts should be made to find the sick individual who is responsible for taking her life. Sure, its easy to say the sheriffs department is to blame, but in all reality, she was a 25 year old adult. How can it be their responsibility to determine if she has a cell phone, credit cards, etc? With the tough job they have trying to keep the public safe from all the undesirables out there, lets cut them a little slack. If indeed they are somewhat negligent in their actions that night, no amount of compensation can bring back that beautiful life that was taken away. I pray for her familiy and may the lord have watch over her always.
Posted by: Ed | August 10, 2010 at 04:11 PM
A lot of comments here make it sound like Ms Richardson was made to walk the plank on a pirate ship. I suspect that the watch commander (or whoever was in charge at the Sheriff's station) just told her that she could go. At that point, she could probably had a choice to make: sit down in a plastic chair and wait until morning (assuming there is a public area at the station and nobody was going to kick her out), talk someone into letting her make a phone call or go outside and start walking. I'm not sure that the Sheriff's Dept. is legally responsible for what anyone does after they are released.
Posted by: christopher | August 10, 2010 at 04:31 PM
No Matrice is not responsible. At the time she was suffering from a mental illness. They should have let her call someone, or taken her to a safe place. Why would you impound a car and not allow the person to get out her purse and cell phone. Why did you turn her out in an unfamiliar place for her to make it on her own...she obviously needed help and the LACSD recognized this. My heart goes out to the family of this poor girl, who so desperately needed help that she was not given. I am glad that the family has filed a lawsuit, and I hope they break the bank. It won't bring Matrice back, but somebody with real poor judgement needs to pay for this obvious stupid decision. Heads need to roll.
Posted by: Can't Believe You | August 10, 2010 at 04:55 PM
"Mary" (earlier post) wishes to defend the horrific actions taken by the LACSD Lost Hill Div.?
Well they (LACSD) are totally responsible for what happened to this woman. She could have been placed on a "5150" emergency medical hold (a 72 hour mandatory stay) and thus be driven to a mental facility until she could be properly evaluated. Her parents could have been contacted to personally pick her up. They could have refused to release her until daylight. They could have driven her to safe sanctuary at a homeless shelter. Hum, there was an abundant of choices that would have easily defrayed the outcome.
More importantly, it is reprehensible behavior that anyone would knowingly and willingly put ANY individual out on a street (and especially in the middle of nowhere which is where that station is hitched) when in fact that individual hasn’t the means to properly vacate to safe haven. The actions by the LACSD were unconscionable. The LACSD deserves to be sued and the officers terminated for involuntary negligent homicide.
Posted by: Melissa | August 10, 2010 at 05:22 PM
Her mother was on her way to pick her up from the Sheriff station that night.
everyone wants to blame the authority and not take any responsibility.
only intelligent comment in all to posts made by Mary:
God bless the family of this person, whether it is Matrice or not. PLEASE people don't start bringing up the irrelevant and ridiculous claims that the sheriff is in any way to blame for MATRICE'S irresponsibility. They followed standard procedure as they do day in and day out ever since the Lost Hills Sheriff station opened.. it is NOT their fault that Matrice was processed just like any other released inmate, and she happened to have an unfortunate fate. If it was their fault, why haven't tens of hundreds of others just like her fallen to the same fate?
My sincere condolences to the families involved. When you are in pain, it's most satisfying to find someone to blame for that pain... but not necessarily rational. The sheriffs are NOT to blame. God be with you and give you peace, and strength in this trying time.
Posted by: KMM | August 10, 2010 at 07:14 PM
As I understand it the family was called before her release and they said to let her go, they weren't going to help. They then called back hours later because they had changed their mind but she had already been released.
Posted by: William Johnson | August 11, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Poor girl. She never had a chance with these police officers. I read, of all the jobs/employees, police have the lowest I.Q. and I believe it. The only show that has really been covering this story well is "Issues" with Jane Velez-Mitchell. She had the father on last night and sure to focus on this story more tonight. What a mess.
Posted by: jvmfan | August 12, 2010 at 12:45 PM
The Police investigators didnt discover any evidence of her being bipolar, you are giving them too much credit. Her mother informed them of that information during the telephone calls.
Posted by: RaeShelle | March 01, 2011 at 01:03 PM