RI RI - Jerri Richard, 4 mos, Pawtucket, 11 Nov 1984

"Smellsarat" actually jogged my memory of this one :

This case occurred back in 1984 in Pawtucket, RI. Alleged stranger abduction of a 4 month old baby, later found murdered - police didn't buy the parents' story. Ralph & Donna Richard were indicted & tried for the murder. No conviction in the case. Later, Donna Richards moved to Illinois (?) and had another baby.

I'm wondering what happened to these two - where did Ralph end up, where's Donna? Anyone have any idea where to start searching? Nothing really showed up on a "google".

This is the only match I could find for Geri-Ann Richards.

The article only says "For his next project, Lavall will direct and produce a documentary about another Rhode Island story, the unsolved abuse and murder of four-month-old Geri-Ann Richards in Pawtucket in 1984."

I grew up in the area and definitely remember this case however I haven't heard anything about it in like 15 years.... I seem to remeber something about them finding the body in a box or something at or near their home.... or the parents trying to claim it was done to get revenge on them...but I could be wrong

WasBlind said:

This is the only match I could find for Geri-Ann Richards.

The article only says "For his next project, Lavall will direct and produce a documentary about another Rhode Island story, the unsolved abuse and murder of four-month-old Geri-Ann Richards in Pawtucket in 1984."

Click to expand...

Thanks Wasblind! I went to the site you posted and then followed a link from there where there's a synopsis of the case & some more information. Apparently they moved back to Indiana. The last name is Richard...not Richards, and the spelling the film director listed is "Jeri Ann". The father was charged with rape of the child & acquitted, the mother charged with the murder - but her charges were dropped. So sad.

I just found this - (dated May 6 1986)

Prosecution completes case in
Richard rape trial
Prosecutors at the trial of Ralph Richard, charged with
raping his daughter, rested their case today, presenting tes-
timony from the infant's babysitter and a woman who
says Richard was impotent two days before he allegedly
raped the baby. Priscilla Dixon told the jury that a "ner-
vous" Richard was not wearing his wedding ring and nev-
er said he was married during their tryst at a Cape Cod
motel. The babysitter testified that a T-shirt found on
four-month old Jerri Ann's body and a sleeper found near
it were not the clothes she put on the child the day before
her disappearance was reported Nov. 11, 1984. Richard
and his wife, Donna, told police they did not change the
baby's clothes.
The babysitter was the 59th witness called by prosecu-
tors. The judge says he will hear arguments tomorrow on
two defense motions, one for a judgement of acquittal,
the other to dismiss charges that Richard conspired with
his wife to cover up the infant's rape and murder. Mrs.
Richard is to be tried later on charges she murdered Jerri
Ann and took part in the alleged cover-up.
Richard told police his wife killed their only child after
learning of his encounter with Dixon. He denied her con-
tention that he was impotent. Prosecutors contend Rich-
ard was not having sexual relations with his wife, and be-
came so frustrated over his impotence with Dixon that he
raped the baby. Defense testimony will begin tomorrow if
Rodgers denies the defense motions. Richard's lawyer has
said Richard will testify. (AP)

Poor little sweet baby. Rest in peace.

Wow! I can't believe, with that many witness testimonies that:

1) The parents were not convicted and
2) They were not retried.

Poor little angel. ^j^

From February 2015:

http://turnto10.com/archive/trials-of-the-century-the-murder-of-jerri-ann-richard

In May 1986, Ralph Richard was found not guilty of first-degree child molestation. With his acquittal, prosecutors could not introduce key evidence in Donna Richard's murder trial and dropped the charges against her.

There was another revelation that may have had an impact on the outcome of the case. During the course of the investigation it was learned that prior to Jerri Ann's disappearance that two Pawtucket police officers on patrol saw a ladder going up to the Richards' apartment. To investigate, they climbed up, went through the window and saw the family sleeping...

In 2000, the I-Team uncovered letters and a recording kept by the baby's grandmother from a man who claimed he saw two men enter the Richards' apartment the night of the kidnapping. Police investigated the lead, but no one's ever been charged.

Click to expand...

I remember this tragic case.I lived in Danielson, CT at the time and this case struck terror and heartbreak because this baby was born the same day my baby girl was born, they were the same age. And I pray that someone would come forward and give info to police.