Last Friday, police discovered the man they had been looking for for four decades. Police arrested 75-year-old Billy Ray Richardson for killing Kari Lenander, Beverly, and Debra Cruse. At first, Mr. Richardson was found not guilty. However, a DNA test confirmed that Mr. Richardson had murdered and assaulted these girls.
Mr. Richardson was found guilty of four counts of murder and other charges. Prosecutors do not know if he knew any of the victims he had killed in Inglewood and Los Angeles, California. A date for Mr. Richardson’s extradition will be determined soon.
“I cannot imagine the pain that these families have endured,” said Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón. “Their loss is immeasurable. We hope that together we can bring justice to the families who have endured so much and have waited years for this moment.”
After an unsuccessful investigation to find out who murdered these three girls, they closed the case. However, in 2001, detectives in Los Angeles agreed to reopen this case to search for the murderer of Ms. Lenander, who was found dead on the 3700 block of Victoria Avenue.
A few months before the killing of Ms. Lenander, Beverly and Debra Cruse was found shot in the head and entirely undressed, discovered by their brother after he had not heard from them for days.
The Los Angeles city council decided to place a $50,000 reward for any information that could lead to the arrest of the murderer in 2012. The detectives certainly had a lot of leads, but they couldn’t find out who the culprit was. And in the same year, Inglewood city council placed a $25,000 reward on any information that could lead to the killer.
In mid-2000, a DNA test found that the murderer was black. Many believed that the murderer was white. This race finding was a significant breakthrough in the investigation. And then, on July 14th, 2022, the Inglewood and Los Angeles police departments arrested 75-year-old Billy Ray Richardson.
Mr. Richardson was found guilty of four counts of murder and other charges. Prosecutors do not know if he knew any of the victims he had killed in Inglewood and Los Angeles, California. A date for Mr. Richardson’s extradition will be determined soon.
“I cannot imagine the pain that these families have endured,” said Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón. “Their loss is immeasurable. We hope that together we can bring justice to the families who have endured so much and have waited years for this moment.”
After an unsuccessful investigation to find out who murdered these three girls, they closed the case. However, in 2001, detectives in Los Angeles agreed to reopen this case to search for the murderer of Ms. Lenander, who was found dead on the 3700 block of Victoria Avenue.
A few months before the killing of Ms. Lenander, Beverly and Debra Cruse was found shot in the head and entirely undressed, discovered by their brother after he had not heard from them for days.
The Los Angeles city council decided to place a $50,000 reward for any information that could lead to the arrest of the murderer in 2012. The detectives certainly had a lot of leads, but they couldn’t find out who the culprit was. And in the same year, Inglewood city council placed a $25,000 reward on any information that could lead to the killer.
In mid-2000, a DNA test found that the murderer was black. Many believed that the murderer was white. This race finding was a significant breakthrough in the investigation. And then, on July 14th, 2022, the Inglewood and Los Angeles police departments arrested 75-year-old Billy Ray Richardson.
