Episode 229

full
Published on:

3rd Feb 2026

Dark Canyon: The Release of Matrice Richardson

Mitrice Richardson was a 24-year-old honors graduate who disappeared into the Santa Monica Mountains. She had been released from custody in the middle of the night with no purse, no cell phone and no transportation.

In this episode, we'll learn why she was arrested, why she shouldn't have been let go and the complete failure of a system to keep her safe. From her strange behavior at an upscale restaurant in Malibu, to the handling of her remains by the Los Angeles county Sheriff's department, you'll go through her timeline from beginning to end.


Was it a tragic accident or was something more sinister going on?


Find out in this episode.



Sources

Sources & References

Primary Official Records:

  1. Settlement Agreement: Sutton/Richardson v. County of Los Angeles (2011)
  2. CA Attorney General Investigation Conclusion (2017)
  3. LA County Board of Supervisors Proceedings (2021)

Key Media Coverage:

  1. Los Angeles Magazine: What Happened To Mitrice Richardson? https://bit.ly/MitriceLAMag
  2. LA Times: Investigation finds no evidence of wrongdoing https://bit.ly/LATimesMitrice
  3. The Acorn: 15th Anniversary Retrospective https://bit.ly/AcornMitrice
  4. CNN: Remains Identified in Malibu Canyon https://bit.ly/CNNMitrice





#MitriceRichardson #Malibu #TrueCrime #DarkCanyon #JusticeForMitrice

Support TrueCrime.FM

A huge thank you to our supporters, it means a lot that you support our podcast.

If you like the podcast and want to support it, too, you can leave us a tip using the button below. We really appreciate it and it only takes a moment!
Support TrueCrime.FM
A
We haven’t had any Tips yet :( Maybe you could be the first!

Listen for free

Show artwork for TrueCrime.FM

About the Podcast

TrueCrime.FM
What Actually Happened. From Start to Finish.
TrueCrime.fm is a weekly true crime podcast focused on one thing—what actually happened.

Every case is researched, written, and broken down from start to finish using verified information. No guessing, no added theories, no drawn-out storytelling.

Just the case.

Each episode is structured so you can follow what happened clearly, without having to sort through what’s real and what isn’t.

If you want consistent, straightforward cases that respect the facts, follow TrueCrime.fm.

And if you want episodes early, ad-free, and a few extra cases that don’t make the main feed, you can support the show through the link in each episode.
Support This Show

About your host

Profile picture for Kristine W

Kristine W

Lover of true crime, scary stories, horror films, and ghost hunting. Kristine is a down-to-earth, opinionated, smart-mouthed Gen X'er who enjoys sharing these stories with you.