$10,000 REWARD EXTENDED IN MATRICE RICHARDSON DISAPPEARANCE CASE

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 15, 2009                                                                                                                                      Contact:    Aurelio Rojas 213-280-6579

                                                                                                                                                                                            James Bolden 213-200-5314

 

BOARD APPROVES SUPERVISOR RIDLEY-THOMAS’ REQUEST TO EXTEND A $10,000 REWARD OFFER IN MATRICE RICHARDSON DISAPPEARANCE CASE

 

LOS ANGELES – Acting on a motion by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, the Board of Supervisors today extended a $10,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Mitrice Richardson, the 24-year-old South Los Angeles woman who disappeared nearly three months ago after her release from the Sheriff’s Substation in Calabasas.

 

The action extends the reward the Board approved September 29 at the Supervisor’s request for information leading to Ms. Richardson’s whereabouts and the criminal prosecution of any person(s) involved in her disappearance.

 

A Cal State Fullerton graduate, Ms. Richardson was living with her great-grandmother in South Los Angeles.  She mysteriously disappeared September 17 at approximately 1:25 a.m. – following her predawn release from the Calabasas Sheriff's substation – where she was booked for allegedly failing to pay a restaurant bill.

 

Her vanishing prompted massive but unsuccessful ground and air searches by members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department and trained volunteers.

 

“Every minute counts in our effort to safely reunite Ms. Richardson with her family,” Supervisor Ridley-Thomas said.  He noted the current investigation is being conducted by the LAPD.

 

Richardson, who had no transportation, cell phone or purse when she left the station at about 1:25 a.m., was reportedly wearing jeans and a dark T-shirt.  With the exception of a couple of probable sightings later that morning in the canyon, Richardson, a slender, 5-foot-5 African American woman, has not been heard from since.

 

Supervisor Ridley-Thomas urges anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mitrice Richardson to contact LAPD Detectives Chuck Knolls or Steven Eguchi  at (213) 486-6900.

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