The Torture & Murder of Cordell Richards
Morbid
01/23/23
•58m
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On March 4th, 1999 the body of Cordell Richards was found in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The man had been absolutely brutalized. He was tied to a tree, beaten, burned, and had his throat cut. The medical examiner notices something strange though; he found maggots present at the scene but some of them had been charred. This meant that the man had likely been burned after his body had already begun decomposing. Why would the killer(s) come back after the fact? And better yet, who had done this to the 31 year old father of two?
Thank you to the lovely David White for research assistance!
References:
Associated Press. 1999. "Teens charged with veteran's death." Lakeland Ledger, March 19.
—. 2000. "Teen emotional as lawyer describes scene of slaying." Ocala Star-Banner, February 16.
—. 2000. "Video shows suspects returning cleaver." Ocala Star-Banner, March 18.
—. 2002. "Court reverses death sentence." Sarasota Herald Tribune, November 8: 7B.
—. 2000. "Girl, 17, convicted in killing." Sarasota Herald-Tribune, February 18: W6.
Gainsville Sun. 1999. "Accessory to murder charges are dropped." Gainsville Sun, September 23: 1.
—. 2000. "Son of minister gets death sentence." Gainsville Sun, May 17.
Hawkins, Erik. 2020. Florida Teen Trio Torture, Bludgeon And Immolate Man Chained To A Tree. February 27. Accessed December 6, 2022. https://www.oxygen.com/killer-couples/crime-news/kristel-maestas-ronald-bell-murder-cordell-richards-torture#:~:text=When%20Fort%20Walton%2C%20Florida%2C%20police,with%20his%20wrists%20also%20bound.
Kristel Rose Maestas v. State of Florida. 2021. 1D19-1767 (First District Court of Appeal, State of Florida, April 20).
2003. New Detectives: Case Studies in Forensic Science. Directed by Bertrand Morin. Produced by New Dominion Pictures. Performed by New Dominion Pictures.
Ronald Lee Bell, Jr. v. State of Florida. 2002. SC00-1185 (Supreme Court of Florida, November 7).
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Previous Episode
Listener Tales 65
January 20, 2023
•64m
Listener Tales 65 is brought to you SAY IT WITH ME.....by you, for you, from you and all about YOU! This installment has a new fun(?) theme of NASTY NEIGHBORS. We've got tales of neighbors showing up unannounced to drop their kids off without prior plans to do so, neighbors breaking into your apartment, and neighbors punching your houseguests in the face! It's a wild ride.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Next Episode
The Murders of Billy Payne & Billie Jean Hayworth
January 25, 2023
•93m
The murders of Billy Payne and Billie Jean Hayworth were incredibly senseless. The case would end up being dubbed "The Facebook Murders" because of an ongoing feud between the victims and a woman named Jenelle Potter who had moved to their small town years earlier. Strangely enough, all three had been part of the same friend group at one time, but unreciprocated romantic feelings would tear the friend group apart. The case would involve catfishing, manipulation, Facebook.... and even the CIA.
Thank you to the astounding David White for research assistance
References
Diaz, Joseph, and Alexa Valiente. 2015. "How a Social Media Feud Led to the Murder of a Young Tennessee Couple." ABC News, October 9.
Ghianni, Tim. 2012. "Handguns Found at Home of 'Facebook' Murder Suspect." Fort McMurray Today, February 15.
Lee, Murry, Ashley Sharp, and Slater Teague. 2021. Daughter, mother convicted in ‘Facebook murders’ case asking for new trials. July 12. Accessed December 23, 2022. https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/mother-daughter-convicted-in-facebook-murders-case-to-appear-in-court-tuesday/.
Schoals, Gayle. 2016. "Tricked Into Murder: Obsession, CIA Conspiracies and Shocking Killings." The Sun, September 4.
Sharp, Ashley. 2021. Attorneys respond to ‘guilty’ plea, reduced sentence of Barbara Potter in 2012 ‘Facebook Murders’. November 11. Accessed December 26, 2022. https://www.wjhl.com/news/local/attorneys-respond-to-guilty-plea-reduced-sentence-of-barbara-potter-in-2012-facebook-murders/.
State of Tennessee v. Barbara Mae Potter. 2018. E2015-02262-CCA-R3-CD (Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee at Knoxville, September 26).
State of Tennessee v. Marvin E. Potter. 2016. E2015-00013-CCA-R3-CD (Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee at Knoxville, March 8).
Thompson, John. 2012. "Slaying Suspect's Daughter Interviewed ." Knoxville News Sentinel, February 10.
Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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