Accused rapist Billy Ray Richardson arrested, charged with 4 counts first-degree murder
LOS ANGELES (CBSDFW.COM) — After 42 years, Billy Ray Richardson, 76, was arrested in connection with the Southern California slayings of four women decades ago, police said.
Detectives from the Los Angeles and suburban Inglewood police departments, with the help of officers from the Fort Worth Police Department took him into custody on July 14. Officers credit investigative, forensic work and DNA evidence from the 1995 killings with leading them to Richardson.
Richardson was charged by Los Angeles County prosecutors with four counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of multiple murder and murder in the commission of rape, Los Angeles police said in a statement.
The statement said investigative and forensic work over the decades linked Richardson to the 1980 killings of Beverly Cruse, Debra Cruse and Kari Lenander in Los Angeles and the 1995 slaying of Trina Wilson in Inglewood.
It was not immediately known if Richardson had an attorney to comment on his behalf. He was in custody in Texas on Thursday awaiting extradition to Los Angeles, police said.
Anyone with information about the murders is urged to contact homicide detectives at (213) 486. 6810.
