Death of Mitrice Richardson

Mitrice Lavon Richardson (born April 30, 1985 – remains found August 9, 2010) was a 24-year-old African-American woman who went missing on September 17, 2009, after police claim she was released from a jail at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, where she had been taken after behaving erratically at a restaurant.

[1] Richardson's parents have maintained that their daughter should never have been released on her own by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, given her obviously disturbed condition.

[5][6] She had also competed as a beauty pageant contestant, worked as an intern for a forensic psychologist and part-time as a dancer in an LGBT strip club.

Due to what staff and patrons at the restaurant described as "bizarre" behavior and the fact that she was unable to pay her $89 bill, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from the Malibu/Lost Hills Station was called to assess her condition.

Steve Whitmore, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said Richardson was released from jail because "She exhibited no signs of mental illness or intoxication.

[12] The creek bed in Malibu Canyon where Richardson's naked mummified remains were eventually discovered is adjacent to a 21-acre (8.5 ha) ranch that is known for producing pornography.

Though residents reportedly heard screams in that area several nights after Richardson disappeared,[13] her death was deemed to not be a homicide; there was no foul play.

In November 2015, after reviewing 500 pages of documents sent with the request, the office of California then-Attorney General Kamala Harris replied that it had not found any grounds for criminal charges against the sheriff or his deputies.

[20] On December 30, 2016, the California Attorney General's office concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support criminal prosecution of anyone involved in the handling of the case.