PORTLAND — The family of a young woman who died in February as a result of a gunshot wound she suffered in January is asking for the public’s help in finding her killer.
Darien Richardson was asleep in her bedroom at 25 Rackleff St. on Jan. 8 with friend Cory Girard when two armed intruders entered the room and shot the pair. Richardson, 25, was shot in the upper thigh and thumb. Girard was hit in the arm.
Two others in the duplex, roommates of Richardson, were not injured.
Richardson was taken to Maine Medical Center, where she spent two days in intensive care and 18 days in recovery. She was released Jan. 26.
On Feb. 24, Richardson travelled to Miami to help a friend move. She collapsed three days later and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner has ruled the death a homicide, caused by a blood clot from the gunshot wound to Richardson’s thigh.
At a news conference at the Portland Police Department on June 10, Richardson’s parents and sister asked for the public’s help in finding her killer.
“We want these violent criminals off our streets,” said Judy Richardson, accompanied by her husband, Wayne Richardson and their daughter, Sarena. She said Darien was a graduate of South Portland High School and Bowdoin College and worked at Aetna.
Police Chief James Craig said that although police have interviewed several people and collected physical evidence from the scene, they have very few leads. He said there is no indication Richardson had any enemies, and she was not involved with drugs.
He added that “drugs are a possibility with the other individual,” Girard, who is a Portland resident and goes to college in New York. Craig said police have interviewed him and he could not identify the intruders.
“We suspect (Girard) may have more information he hasn’t given us,” Craig said.
Police are asking that anyone with information about the case call the criminal investigations unit at 874-8596 or leave an anonymous tip on the department website, portland-police.com. Select the citizen input list on the left of the main page to leave a comment.
Kate Bucklin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or kbucklin@theforecaster.net
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