Since 2009, police and concerned members of the community have scoured Malibu, Calif., in search of Mitrice Richardson, a 25-year-old woman suffering from bipolar disorder. But her father, who has led a nationwide search for Richardson and maintained the website bringmitricehome.org, confirmed that human remains found in Malibu were those of his daughter on Aug. 13.
However, details leading up to Richardson’s disappearance have been hotly debated. The Malibu Lost Hill Sheriff’s Department arrested the woman Sept. 16, 2009, after she failed to pay an $89 restaurant bill and was allegedly “acting crazy.” Police reports say Richardson told other patrons she was from Mars and spoke gibberish. After her arrest, she was released without a cell phone, car or money in a remote area and was never seen again.
Richardson was a graduate of California State Fullerton, where she earned a degree in psychology and maintained a 4.0 grade point average, according to the site.
A vigil was held at Liemert Park in Los Angeles on Aug. 16 in Richardson’s honor.