San Diego Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

Chula Vista resident is suspected in the killing of his girlfriend in 1992, and the 2010 deaths of his mother-in-law and wife.

57 year old Michael Eugene Richardson is being accused for the murder of his girlfriend in 1992 as well as the killing of his wife in mother-in-law who died in a staged car wreck. The defendants 39 year old wife, Thao, and 72 year old mother in law, Phan Lai, bodies were found near an overturned car off state Route 67 north of Lakeside last June. Richardson was charged in January for the murder of Jovita Collazo, 38 of National City, whose body is yet to be discovered. Richardson used to own a mechanic shop in Poway.

The San Diego criminal is also being charged for sexually abusing his 17 year old niece last year. El cajon Judge Herber Exarhos found after a three-day preliminary hearing that because enough evidence has been presented for the defendant to stand trial. Richardson is being charged with three counts of murder and eight counts of sexual assault and Judge Exarhos scheduled arraignment for July 14.

If convicted he is either facing the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole if he is convicted. This is to be determined by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. Prosecutor Chantal de Mauregne told a judge at Richardson’s arraignment last July that he had escaped from prison in North Carolina in 1982. He served time there for robbery. The defendant was originally only being charged with molesting his niece but not long after he was then charged with the killings of his wife and mother-in-law and then later with killing his girlfriend in 1992.

Man Accused In 3 Deaths To Stand Trial, 10news.com, May 26, 2011

Man to stand trial in murders of wife, mother-in-law, girlfriend, fox5sandiego.com, May 27, 2011