Moving Mitrice Richardson's remains was a mistake, coroner's office says

A Los Angeles County coroner's official criticized sheriff's deputies for removing the remains of Mitrice Richardson from a rugged ravine without permission, saying the deputies' actions may have violated the law and undermined the thoroughness of the coroner's investigation.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said he was "very clear" with sheriff's officials and could not think of another case in which a police agency had moved entire skeletal remains without the coroner's approval.

A sheriff's spokesman acknowledged that deputies removed Richardson's body from the scene without the coroner's permission, but said they did so because detectives were concerned that it was getting dark and that animals might destroy the remains.

The 24-year-old Richardson drew national media attention in September 2009 when she disappeared after being released from the sheriff's Lost Hills/Malibu station about midnight, without her car, purse or cellphone. Nearly 11 months after her disappearance, her remains were spotted in a remote Malibu Canyon ravine.

Initially, sheriff's officials believed that only a skull and possibly a couple of other bones were there. Winter said that at that point, sheriff's officials were told they could move the bones only after coroner's officials reviewed photos of the scene and gave clearance.

After some leaves were brushed aside, Richardson's entire skeleton was discovered, "at which time I told detectives not to touch it," Winter said. "We've never given authorization to pick up entire skeletal remains."

Winter said that sheriff's officials consented and that he was shocked to hear just minutes later that the bones had been lifted into a helicopter and were headed back to the station.

Read the full story here.

-- Robert Faturechi

Comments

[Pizzedoff]

"...because detectives were concerned that it was getting dark and that animals might destroy the remains..."
THAT excuse sure rings... a hell of a lot hollow considering "the remains" were likely intact at that location FOR MONTHS!?

[Gun control]

Its kind of like 'Reno 911' but these guys are not comedians in the typical sense.

[Christopher Golden]

How is it that after finding the skeletal remains,( being skeletal they must have been there for some time )how is it that the sheriff's office would think that animals would disturb the scene on that particular night, Once again the remains were probably there for some time with out being disturbed, to me the sheriff's office is full of it

[u know]

The first "mistake" in this whole bizarre case was when Mitrice tried to rip off the restaurant. If she wasn't a thief she would be alive today.

[Citytrucker]

Sounds like her family has new grounds to sue the police. Too bad Jonny Cochrane's not still around, he'd have a field day with this one.

[NoLo]

The remains were in the ravine for almost a year. Now the LASD is concerned that animals may get to it over one night!? I think their concern was trying to make them seem like they were actually doing something about her disappearance and not wanting to spend more money for the helicopter and crew's time. Should've given her a ride to her car a la Mel.

[Ned Flanders]

What do you expect, it's part of the ongoing cover up. If they move the body they destroy critical evidence. These guys aren't completely stupid. Oh... well, at least... nah.

[eric]

Maybe the fathers screams of Cover-UP are not far off base at all...

[LAUSD teacher]

These sheriffs are so arrogant -they have what- a high school diploma and some training? They directly defy the coroner and are defended by their own department? Typical. And this is the sheriff's department that had a contest to see how many people they could arrest over the weekend a few years back, thereby possibly ruining some people's lives by not using judgment in making decisions. I will never trust the police. If you question that, just google "Bruce Lisker."

[Doug]

The Sheriff's Department is hiding something. I do believe a Sheriff had something to do with this. Who left the station after she did?

[RestInPeace]

Man oh man... And the plot thickens. This poor woman's soul cannot catch a break! The Sheriff's Dept. got some 'splainin to do! Everything they did in this case seems to be wrong, all wrong. I hope they catch those involved in this obvious cover up and fry them! RIP Mitrice, Lord knows you deserved better! Much Better.

[lou]

smells like roten eggs....She dissappears after being releasesd from the sheriff`s jail then when they find the remains they are the first ones to erase any possible evidence....."by mistake"

[Matt]

Something isn't adding up. I doubt that the Sheriff's department would be so overly concerned for the remains when they did not exhibit that high a level of concern for her when she was in their custody.

Obviously someone in the Sheriff's department did not want the coroner to examine those remains in an objective manner out of fear of what the outcome actually was.

[David Spencer]

William J. Bratton, formerly of the L.A.P.D., for Sheriff.

[Ry15133]

If this isn't a cover up then I'm Bill Clinton!

[Avril]

The Lost Hills Sheriffs Department needs should be fully investigated the the Federal Government. Their bumbling efforts to run that department is a joke at best. They are an embarassment to their profession.

[Bon Gloader]

C O V E R U P !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anon-II]

Removing the skeletal remains sounds like foul play in covering up something and trying to make it harder for the coroner to discover what exactly happen to Matrice Richardson.

[donfitness]

Is anyone besides me still wondering how her remains turned up in Malibu canyon weeks after one of the most extensive site specific searches in Los Angeles. That's suspicious, and now this. After a while, coincidence after coincidence piling up cannot be ignored any longer. There is something terribly wrong with this case.

[adamson]

At first I thought a cover-up could be far from the truth, but now... I don't know what to think. How can someone make such an egregious error without an ulterior motive? Seriously.

[Tika Lee]

I smell a rat.

[John]

I agree with you Matt. They are showing more concern for her remains than they did for her when she was alive. I have no problem with law enforcement, but the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is the one of the worst I have seen in the country and having had a career in the military I lived in quite a few different places. San Diego county and Kitsap County in Washington have very good Sherrif's departments but I have no idea why L.A. got the short end of the stick.

[circe]

comment for " u know"....educate yourself...if you knew the story, you would know there were attempts to pay the restaurant by Mitrices family while she was there...they refused to take the credit card over the phone and understand, Mitrice was in a mental crisis over 60 miles from home...ask the restaurant, they will confirm. They wanted the sheriffs to take care of her due to the fact she could be a harm to herself or others. The sheriffs seemed to just take advantage of that and not give her proper care, which in their mission statement says " to serve and protect"...they failed miserably !!

[Ivan from Glendale]

I don't know about you, but can't wait to spend $13.00 at the box office to watch the movie based based on the true story of the cover up by one of the biggest police departments in the country and how their total disregard or care for non-donors to the re-election of Baca led to the death, cover up and eventual downfall of the biggest mafioso in the country: Lee Baca.

[Biff Guiznot]

More of the Sheriff Department's coverup. I'm surprised Steve Whitemore hasn't called a press conference and b.s.'d about this latest development yet. This matter has been badly handled from the moment of Ms. Richardson's arrest. The lies and cover up since then have been very sad.

On the one hand, the Sheriff wasn't concerned enough about the living breathing Mitrice Richardson to prevent her from walking out of jail, but on the other hand they're so concerned about her remains being disturbed by wild animals that they take them into protective custody.

Give me a break.