“It can happen to anybody,” Judi Richardson began, “We’ve been working on this issue for 10 years and I’ve never met anyone that said they knew it would happen to them. Everyone we know, from the big mass shootings that are well-publicized to people like us that were shot in a single incident, no one ever says, yeah, we knew it was going to happen. Everyone thinks it won’t happen to them, everywhere, but it does. Gun violence can happen anywhere and everywhere.”
Judi Richardson knows too well that gun violence can happen to anyone, and she also knows what it can take from a family. Ever since that night in January 2010 when two intruders fired several rounds into her daughter’s bedroom and changed the Richardson family forever, Judi has been a voice for victims of violent crimes and an advocate for closing the loophole that put a firearm into the hands of her daughter’s killer.
In this two-part series, you’ll get to know Darien Richardson through the memories of her mother. You’ll hear about the happy, determined, kind, friend-to-all woman whose life was cut short, and the frustrating dead end details of her case that have left her family without answers for over a decade.
Press play to listen to Part 1, and please follow Dark Downeast on your favorite podcast app to hear Part 2 of Darien Richardson’s story in the next episode.
Take Action
The family and friends of Darien Richardson are offering a $15,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for her death. Anyone with information regarding Darien Richardson’s murder is asked to contact the Detective Division of the Portland Police Department at (207) 874-8479 or at www.portland-police.com.
Please take a moment to share this post on Facebook to get the reward poster circulating again.
You can support the foundation in Darien’s name, Remembering Darien, via PayPal and on Facebook.
Episode Source Material
Thank you, Judi, for sharing your memories and stories of Darien with me.
- Judi and Wayne Richardson, Moments That Survive: Remembering Darien
- Darien Leigh Richardson Obituary
- Woman’s death linked to gunshot by David Hench, Bangor Daily News, 05 Mar 2010
- Police identify shooting suspect from bite mark by Trevor Maxwell, Portland Press Herald, 17 Feb 2010
- Unsolved murder frustrates parents, detective by Duke Harrington, Portland Press Herald, 19 Oct 2011
- Gun in homicide linked to other Maine killing, Bangor Daily News, 21 Jul 2011
- Cold-case reward of $10K offered in 2010 death of South Portland woman by David Harry, Portland Press Herald, 23 July 2012
- Parents offer $10,000 reward in Portland cold case by Kelley Bouchard, Portland Press Herald, 23 Jul 2012
- Gun loophole cited in unsolved Portland killing by David Hench, Portland Press Herald, 08 Jan 2013
- Boyfriend of Portland cold-case victim arrested on gun charge by Scott Dolan, Portland Press Herald, 20 Nov 2014
- Family, friends remember Portland woman killed five years ago, Portland Press Herald, 04 Apr 2015
- Portland investigation hopes to solve 2010 murder, Associated Press, Portland Press Herald, 12 Jan 2017
- Unsolved Homicides: Darien Richardson wasn’t supposed to die by Kristina Rex, News Center Maine, 12 Feb 2018