James Richardson: Big Fail in Old Murder Case

Last week’s case was an unsolved murder over a century old, the 1911 death of Dr. Helene Knabe. This week we look at a case “solved” by sending the wrong man to prison. James Richardson served 21 years in a Florida prison for murdering his children, but he didn’t do it.

James Richardson and the Deaths of His Children

Annie Mae and James Richardson were African American migrant farm workers. In October 1967, the Richardsons and their seven children, all under ten, lived in Arcadia, Florida. Two of the children were from Annie Mae’s previous marriage. James was the father of the other five.

James Joseph Richardson (Palm Beach Post)
James Joseph Richardson (Palm Beach Post)

On October 24, Annie Mae prepared a meal of beans, rice, and grits for the children’s lunch the next day. The following morning, James and Annie Mae left to pick oranges in groves sixteen miles away. They entrusted the care of their younger children (the oldest four were in school) to a neighbor, Bessie Reece.

At lunchtime, the four oldest Richardson children returned home for lunch. They and their younger siblings ate the meal Annie Mae had prepared. Back at school, their teachers noticed all four exhibiting strange symptoms. The school’s principal immediately took them to a hospital. One of the teachers checked on the remaining three children, discovered they were sick, too, and rushed them to a hospital. It was no use. Six of the children died before authorities could summon the Richardsons from the orange groves. Three-year-old Dianne succumbed the next day.

Annie Mae and James Richarson view the bodies of their seven children in October 1967 (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
Annie Mae and James Richarson view the bodies of their seven children in October 1967 (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

James Richardson, Murderer?

Investigators soon discovered the pesticide parathion in the food Annie Mae prepared for the children’s lunch. Sure enough, they found a two-pound sack of parathion in a shed behind the apartment building where the Richardsons lived. It surprised no one when a grand jury indicted James Richardson for murder on November 2.

During Richardson’s trial, the state contended that Richardson killed his children for insurance money. Prosecutor John Treadwell introduced evidence that Richardson met with insurance salesman George Purvis to discuss life insurance for the children before the murders. That much was true. What Treadwell didn’t say, though, was that Purvis initiated the meeting. Nor did he say that Richardson hadn’t bought any insurance because he couldn’t afford the premiums.

Judge Gordon Hayes listens as Bessie Reece testifies during a coroner's inquest into the deaths of the seven Richardson children (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)
Judge Gordon Hayes listens as Bessie Reece testifies during a coroner’s inquest into the deaths of the seven Richardson children (Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

Other testimony from former cellmates claimed Richardson had confessed the murders to them. DeSoto County Sheriff Frank Cline provided additional sensational testimony when he claimed Richardson had poisoned six other children in another county. Although unsubstantiated, the defense apparently let this accusation pass unchallenged.

The outcome of the trial was never in doubt. On May 31, 1968, jurors took only thirty minutes to return with a guilty verdict and a recommended sentence of death in Florida’s electric chair.

An early prison photo of James Richardson (Florida State Prison)
An early prison photo of James Richardson (Florida State Prison)

James Richardson Exonerated

For nearly five years, James Richardson sat on Florida’s Death Row. Then, in 1972, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty, as it was then implemented, was unconstitutional. Like other death row inmates, the State of Florida resentenced him to life in prison. In Richardson’s case, he had an opportunity for parole starting in 1993.

Over time, the case against James Richardson began to unravel. Investigators overlooked possible clues in their zeal to convict him. For example, at the time of the murders, Bessie Reece was on parole for the poisoning death of her ex-husband. Prosecutors went to great lengths to keep this fact away from the jury.

Another hole in the case against Richardson appeared when the last surviving jailhouse snitch who testified at the trial recanted. He revealed he’d been offered a lighter sentence for his testimony.

Lawyers for Richardson continued to uncover additional evidence of prosecutorial misconduct. On April 25, 1989, their efforts paid off when DeSoto County Circuit Court Judge Clifton Kelly dismissed Richardson’s conviction and released him to the custody of his attorneys.

Who Killed the Richardson Children?

Authorities never charged anyone else with the deaths of Betty, Alice, Susie, Dorreen, Vanessa, James Jr., and Dianne Richardson. The question remains, who killed them?

The most likely suspect is the woman who fed the children the poisoned lunch, Bessie Reece. As noted above, Reece was convicted of murdering her second ex-husband with poison. She was also a suspect in the death of her first ex-husband. Furthermore, In 1988 and living in a nursing home, Reece allegedly confessed to the murders multiple times. At the time, though, she suffered from the effects of Alzheimer’s, and no one took her confessions seriously.

The graves of the seven Richardson children (Acey Harper/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)
The graves of the seven Richardson children (Acey Harper/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)

Epilogue

Richardson’s life after prison held many challenges. He suffered from numerous heart ailments, for which he blamed poor-quality prison food and stress. He and Annie Mae had remained married all the while he was incarcerated but eventually divorced.

In 2014, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a bill into law that bypassed the roadblock that had denied Richardson compensation up to then. In 2016, he began receiving payments totaling $50,000 for each year he was wrongfully imprisoned.

Bessie Reece died from Alzheimer’s in a Florida nursing home in 1992. She never faced charges in the deaths of the Richardson children.

Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe to True Crime in the News, a monthly email newsletter that looks at recent news stories that will interest any true crime fan. There is also a summary of the previous month’s blog posts. You won’t want to miss this. Sign up for the newsletter today.

Howard Unruh: Astonishing and Evil Walk of Death

In my last blog post, we met Tony Baekeland, a troubled young man who murdered his mother and eventually took his own life. This week’s case concerns Howard Unruh. In 1949, Unruh walked through his neighborhood in Camden, New Jersey, shooting people as he went.

Howard Unruh

Howard was a shy but unremarkable kid born and raised in East Camden, New Jersey. He attended school in Camden, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in January 1939. With World War II raging, Unruh enlisted in the Army on October 27, 1942. During the war, he saw action as an armor crewman in various parts of the European Theater. His crew chief later recalled that Unruh was an unusual soldier. He never drank, swore, or chased girls. Instead, he spent his spare time reading the Bible. When in combat, he kept a detailed record of every German soldier he killed.

Howard Unruh in the Army (US Army)
Howard Unruh in the Army (US Army)

After the war, Unruh returned to New Jersey and lived with his mother. Before enrolling in classes at Temple University in Philadelphia, he worked in a sheet metal shop for a brief time. College didn’t suit him, and he soon withdrew, citing his “poor physical condition.” Now, instead of working, he hung around his mother’s apartment. Part of the time he spent practicing shooting in the basement, where he’d built a target range. Another pastime was tracking every perceived slight and grievance against him.

Howard Unruh and the “Walk of Death”

On September 6, 1949, a Tuesday, Howard Unruh ate breakfast with his mother, who then left to visit a friend. Howard left the apartment at about 9:30, dressed in a brown suit with a bow tie and armed with a Luger P08. He walked out onto River Road.

Camden police make thearrest
Camden police make thearrest

Unruh’s first target was a bread delivery truck driver; the shot missed by inches. Next, he began targeting the people on his list of supposed “enemies.” He started with shoemaker John Pilarchik, shooting and killing him instantly. From the cobbler’s shop, he went to Clark Hoover’s barber shop. His shots killed the barber and the six-year-old boy having his hair cut. The next target was pharmacist Maurice Cohen. On his way to the pharmacy, he shot and killed insurance agent James Hutton when Hutton wouldn’t get out of his way.

Cohen and his wife, Rose, saw Unruh approach the pharmacy’s back entrance. They ran to their apartment above the drugstore. Cohen climbed onto the porch roof while Rose and their 12-year-old son hid in separate closets. Unruh shot Rose several times, killing her, before following Cohen onto the roof and fatally shooting him. Cohen’s 63-year-old mother, Minnie, was shot and killed while trying to phone the police. Young Charles, the Cohens’ son, survived.

Howard Unruh handcuffed after his interrogation by police (allthatisinteresting.com)
Howard Unruh handcuffed after his interrogation by police (allthatisinteresting.com)

The next person on Unruh’s enemies list was tailor Thomas Zegrino. On his way to Zegrino’s shop, he fired at a car driving on River Road, killing the driver, Alvin Day. Zegrino wasn’t at his tailor’s shop that morning, but his wife, Helga, was, and Unruh killed her.

The Capture of Howard Unruh

By now, police had been alerted and were converging on the scene. Unruh retreated to his mother’s apartment, which police soon surrounded. A brief gunbattle ensued. The gunfight ended when police threw two tear gas containers into the apartment. When ordered to surrender, Unruh replied, “I give up. Don’t shoot.” Officers then arrested him without further fanfare.

Camden police arrest Howard Unruh. Note the bowtie.
Camden police arrest Howard Unruh. Note the bowtie.

Howard Unruh immediately confessed to the shooting spree and took full responsibility. However, he didn’t stand trial. Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, he landed at the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital instead.

Epilogue

Howard Unruh killed 13 people ranging in age from 2 to 68 and wounded 3. He remained in the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital until his death on October 19, 2009, at age 88. His “Walk of Death” was America’s first recorded mas murder incident but, sadly, not the last.

One of the last photos of Howard Unruh before his death in 2009
One of the last photos of Howard Unruh before his death in 2009

Charles Cohen, who survived Unruh’s attack by hiding in a closet, was the maternal grandfather of Carly Novell. By also hiding in a closet, Carly survived the massacre at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Carly Novell
Carly Novell

You can read more about Howard Unruh in Ellen J. Green’s book, Murder in the Neighborhood.

Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe to True Crime in the News, a monthly email newsletter that looks at recent news stories that will interest any true crime fan. There is also a summary of the previous month’s blog posts. You won’t want to miss this, sign up for the newsletter today.

UpStairs Lounge: Big Arson Fire Kills 32 People

My last blog dealt with the case of Timothy McVeigh, the infamous Oklahoma City Bomber. This week’s case is also horrifying but has had much less publicity. It’s the case of the arson fire at the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans.

UpStairs Lounge

It was 1974. Only four years earlier, in June 1969, the so-called “Stonewall Riots” first brought public attention to the issue of gay rights. Not a great deal of progress had been made in those four years. Yet many in the LGBTQIA+ community no longer hid their sexual orientation.

It was this community that the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) served. Founded in 1968 in Los Angeles, MCC was a pro-LGBTQIA+ protestant denomination. For a while in New Orleans, the MCC met in the theater of the UpStairs Lounge. The UpStairs Lounge itself was a gay bar. It occupied the second floor of an historic three-story building at the corner of Chartres and Iverville Streets.

Customers enjoying a good time at the UpStairs Lounge before the fire
Customers enjoying a good time at the UpStairs Lounge before the fire

UpStairs Lounge in Flames

Sunday, June 24, 1973, marked the end of nationwide Pride celebrations that were glaringly lacking in the Big Easy. That evening, the UpStairs Lounge held its usual “beer bust” between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Many MCC members were in attendance. After 7:00, the crowed thinned a bit but there were still between sixty and ninety customers in the lounge. They talked and listened to pianist George Steven “Bud” Matyi perform.

At 7:56, the downstairs door buzzer sounded. Bartender Buddy Rasmussen asked Luther Boggs to answer the door. When Boggs opened the door, he found the front staircase in flames. He also noticed the strong smell of lighter fluid.

The UpStairs Lounge burns
The UpStairs Lounge burns

A backdraft caused the fire to spread quickly. Bartender Rasmussen immediately led about twenty people to the roof, where they could access an adjacent building and climb down. Boggs tried to escape thorough one of the floor-to-ceiling windows but was severely burned in the process. He died on July 10, sixteen days later.

Aftermath of the fire
Aftermath of the fire

Firefighters from a nearby fire station found it difficult to reach the club as cars and pedestrians blocked their way. One engine tried to use the sidewalk but ended up colliding with a taxicab. When the fire department did manage to arrive on the scene, they quickly brought the blaze under control. It had been only sixteen minutes since Boggs first spotted the flames.

Epilogue

Thirty-two people died the UpStairs Lounge fire and eighteen suffered injuries. Police questioned a suspect, Roger Dale Nunez, but never developed enough evidence to charge him. Nunez, a gay man with a history of mental health issues, had been ejected from the club for fighting earlier in the evening. Nunez committed suicide in November 1974.

Firefighters attend to the injured
Firefighters attend to the injured

Local news outlets gave the fire prominent coverage but soft-pedaled the fact that LGBTQIA+ patrons comprised most of the victims. Editorials and right-wing talk show hosts made light of the tragedy.

The building at 604 Iberville Street in 2019 (Wikipedia/Deisenbe)
The building at 604 Iberville Street in 2019 (Wikipedia/Deisenbe)

You can read more about the UpStairs Lounge tragedy in Tinderbox by Robert W. Fieseler or The Up Stairs Lounge Arson by Clayton Delery-Edwards.

Don’t Miss Out! Subscribe to the Newsletter

Subscribe to True Crime in the News, a monthly email newsletter that looks at recent news stories that will interest any true crime fan. There is also a summary of the previous month’s blog posts. You won’t want to miss this, sign up for the newsletter today.

Ronald DeFeo: Startling and Horrific Family Killer Gets Life

Last week’s case featured Harvey Glatman, the California serial killer stopped when one of his intended victims fought back. This week, we travel to the opposite coast and the case of Ronald DeFeo. In 1974, DeFeo killed all six members of his family while they slept. The family home later became infamous as the “Amityville Horror” house.

The DeFeo Family Murders

Ronald DeFeo, Jr., “Butch” to his family, was born September 26, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York. By 1974, the DeFeo family lived in the Long Island community of Amityville. They lived in the house they purchased in 1964 at 112 Ocean Avenue.

Suffolk County detectives excort Ronald DeFeo, Jr.
Suffolk County detectives excort Ronald DeFeo, Jr.

At about 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 1974, “Butch” walked into Henry’s Bar. The bar, which no longer exists, was a short six-minute walk from the DeFeo home. “You got to help me!” he told the people present. “I think my mother and father are shot!” DeFeo then led a small group back to the home, where they found Ronald DeFeo Sr. and Louise DeFeo dead. One of the group, Joe Yeswit, called the Suffolk County Police. When police searched the house, they found the other four DeFeo children dead. The DeFeo siblings were Dawn (18), Allison (13), Marc (12), and John Matthew (9). Each of the victims were lying face down on their beds.

The DeFeo house at 112 Ocean Avenue (Associated Press)
The DeFeo house at 112 Ocean Avenue (Associated Press)

At the scene, DeFeo suggested that a mob hitman, Louis Falini, had committed the murders. Officers took him to a local police station for his own protection. However, they soon noticed glaring inconsistencies in his story, Furthermore, Falini, the alleged hitman, was out of the state when the killings occurred. DeFeo couldn’t keep up the charade and confessed to the killings the following day.

A newspaper announces Ronald DeFeo's arrest
A newspaper announces Ronald DeFeo’s arrest

Ronald DeFeo Convicted

Ronald DeFeo went on trial almost a year later, on October 14, 1975. His lawyer, William Weber, presented the affirmative defense of insanity. DeFeo claimed he killed his family because he heard their voices plotting against him. Psychiatrist Daniel Schwartz supported the insanity defense.

However, the prosecution countered with psychiatrist Dr. Harold Zolan. Zolan testified that although DeFeo used heroin and LSD and had antisocial personality disorder, he had been aware of his actions at the time of the crime.

Deputies lead Ronald DeFeo out of a Long Island courtroom after a hearing in 1974 (AP)
Deputies lead Ronald DeFeo out of a Long Island courtroom after a hearing in 1974 (AP)

With an affirmative defense, the burden of proof is on the defendant. In the DeFeo case, this meant that DeFeo’s lawyer had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that DeFeo was insane at the time of the murders. It’s a tough standard and most insanity pleas fail, as did DeFeo’s. He was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder on November 21, 1975. On December 4, Judge Thomas Stark handed down six sentences of 25 years to life.

Ronald DeFeo Changes His Story

Over the years, DeFeo changed his story many times. In one version, he claimed his sister Dawn killed his father and his distraught mother killed the other children. He claimed to have killed his mother in self-defense. He said he took the blame initially because he was afraid his uncle, Peter DeFeo would kill him. (Peter DeFeo was a capo in the Genevese crime family). In another version, DeFeo blamed all the killings on his sister Dawn, saying he had to kill her in self-defense. Later, he told still another version in which he and Dawn carried out the killings with two friends “out of desperation,” because his parents were plotting to kill him.

Ronald DeFeo during a 2014 interview
Ronald DeFeo during a 2014 interview

With DeFeo telling so many versions of the murders, it’s difficult to believe anything other than his original confession. In 1990, Judge Stark agreed. Ruling on a 440 motion to have the conviction vacated, Stark found DeFeo’s fungible stories “not worthy of belief.” DeFeo remained in prison.

The Amityville Horror

George Lutz bought the house, moving in with his wife, Kathy and three children in December 1975. They moved out 28 days later, claiming it was haunted by the spirits of the murdered DeFeo family. Skeptics accuse Lutz of concocting the story to make money. And it’s worth noting that subsequent owners have not had any trouble with ghosts.

George and Kathy Lutz
George and Kathy Lutz

Epilogue

Ronald DeFeo remained in prison for the rest of his life; the parole board denied every request for parole. He died at the Albany Medical Center, aged 69, on March 12, 2021. Correctional department officials did not release a cause of death.

The murders and Lutz’s claims of haunting have generated scores of books and movies. One of the earliest and most famous is the Jay Anson’s 1977 novel, The Amityville Horror. This book was the basis for the movie of the same name starting Margot Kidder and James Brolin.

The house at 112 Ocean Avenue, built in 1924 still stands. Subsequent owners have modified it, adding a sunroom and filling in the swimming pool. Its address has changed to 108 Ocean Avenue, perhaps as a small gesture toward distancing it from its lurid past.

A recent photo of the "Amityville Horror" house, now 108 Ocean Avenue. Note the addition of the sunroom (foreground) and that the creepy "eye" winodws have been replaced with square ones (SyFy.com)
A recent photo of the “Amityville Horror” house, now 108 Ocean Avenue. Note the addition of the sunroom (foreground)/ The creepy “eye” winodws have been replaced with square ones (SyFy.com)

Subscribe to the Newsletter

The Old Crime is New Again newsletter is a monthly email covering a topic that has not appeared in the blog. Don’t miss out! Sign up for the newsletter today.