Mitrice Richardson: The Night the Police Let Her Walk Away

Mitrice Richardson: The Night the Police Let Her Walk Away

From Moms and Mysteries: A True Crime Podcast by Moms and Mysteries Podcast

July 2, 2026 · 52 min

About this episode

The episode covers the story of Mitrice Richardson, her arrest, and the subsequent controversy surrounding her disappearance and death.

On the night of September 16, 2009, 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson was arrested at an upscale Malibu restaurant after behaving in ways that concerned both the staff and the responding deputies. She passed a field sobriety test. She was cooperative and calm throughout booking. And just after midnight, the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station opened its doors and let her walk out alone, without her car, into an area she had never been before.Her mother had already called the station to say something was wrong. The restaurant employees had said something was wrong. And still, Mitrice walked out into the dark. Nearly a year later, her remains were found in a remote stretch of the Santa Monica Mountains known as Dark Canyon. The cause of death was listed as undetermined. And the controversy surrounding how she was treated that night, and how the scene was handled when her remains were finally discovered, has never been fully resolved. This week we cover the full story of Mitrice Richardson, from her life in Southern California to the night everything went wrong, the year-long search, and the questions her family is still asking today. Thank you to this week's sponsors! Get your IQ Bars today…

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