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| Authorities Explain Details Surrounding Arrest in 1998 Monmouth Murder |
POSTED 1:56pm 2/26/10 What otherwise would be normal procedure for the Monmouth Police Department is what essentially led to the arrest of a Monmouth man for the June, 1998 death of a young girl.
Monmouth Police Chief Brad Ziegler, Warren County Coroner Bill Underwood, and State's Attorney Albert "Chip" Algren held a news conference Friday so they could address questions surrounding Wednesday's arrest of 56-year old Tommy Richardson on two-counts of first-degree murder for the death of three-year old Kayla Richardson.
The younger Richardson, whom Ziegler says was in the process of being adopted by her father, was found in her bed with a plastic bag wrapped around her head.
Ziegler says it was what he called a normal review of cold cases that led to an investigation starting last May, and says he's not sure why it ever became a cold case to begin with.
"I wasn't here at the time, but I'm not certain," Ziegler said. "I think they had reached what they thought was the end of the investigation, at least until something may have come further. The investigators who worked here at that time are no longer here, and so this was a brand new investigation, basically."
Ziegler says the case, as far as he's concerned, is now closed.
Algren told reporters he can't seek the death penalty in the case because it doesn't meet most of the regulations for one.
Tommy Richardson told a judge during a first appearance Tuesday he didn't know if he wanted a public defender or would hire a private attorney. He's supposed to be back in court this Tuesday with his decision.
He's jailed on $3 million dollars bond.
(Monmouth Police Chief Brad Ziegler and Warren County Coroner Bill Underwood spoke to reporters Friday. WGIL News Story and Photo by Will Stevenson.)
(Tommy Richardson) |
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| 02 26 10 by Newsroom |
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