Missing Woman: Police Believe She's Alive

Police detectives believe Mitrice Richardson is alive and they do not suspect foul play in her disappearance, although the last confirmed siting of her was in the Monte Nido area by Calabasas nearly a month ago. Authorities also discounted a burned body found in Santa Fe Springs, about a mile from her workplace.

LAPD detectives say they have received many calls of possible sitings of Richardson throughout LA and Orange counties and as distant as San Jose.

“People we’ve talked to are almost positive it’s her,” LAPD robbery-homicide detective Steven Eguchi told the OC Register . “We are actively looking for her and following up on sightings.”

Eguchi and fellow LAPD detective Chuck Knolls have reportedly said they don’t believe Mitrice was a victim of foul play and told the L.A. Times that they they believe she is alive. “Mitrice is out there,” Knolls said.

Richardson was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on for failing to pay an $89 bill at Geoffrey’s Malibu restaurant last week and for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana in her car. She had been acting strangely as well, at times claiming to be from another planet and speaking a gibberish language.

She was taken to the Lost Hills station Calabasas and released at 1:25am Thursday morning, Sept. 17, without her car, which authorities impounded.

Richardson’s parents have criticized the Sheriff’s Department for releasing her at that hour, but authorities say she appeared competent.

The woman’s father, Michael Richardson, said he was worried about his daughter’s condition. Referring to her booking photo, he said, “She looked like a demon had come inside her. That was not my daughter,” he said. “It ran chills up my spine. I’ve never seen my daughter look like that.”

“They allowed her to walk out of that facility and down that road in the pitch black night,” he told The Times. “That’s not right. Now, I just want to find my child.”

Authorities said Richardson was made an offer to stay at the jail but refused.

She is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton and recently moved to Los Angeles.

The LAPD is also involved in the search and ask that anyone with information call the LAPD’s Missing Persons Unit at (213) 485-5381, or 1-877-LAPD-24-7 after business hours or on weekends.