'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAImPCf/EACEQAAECBAcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEBWEGBxQiMVGh/9oACAEBAAE/AMtKkpnBso22pwaU1F1QssDi8Su2VZHSAPI//8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAgEBPwB//8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH/2gAIAQMBAT8Aj//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
40-year-old accused Richard Bradley Jr of Washington State, who remains in jail awaiting trial in one murder case, has been charged with three more killings. He reportedly lured his victims by asking for their assistance in digging up buried treasure in the woods.
The Seattle Times stated that in May 2021, following the discovery of 44-year-old Brandi Blake's remains buried in the 160-acre Game Farm Park in Auburn, Washington, the suspected serial murderer was charged with premeditated first-degree murder.
Richard has been charged with three additional murders throughout the last two weeks. These cases include the killings of an adult son and father in May 2021, as well as the 2019 death of a man whose body was found near Brandi Blake's grave.
CBS News reported that Richard Bradley Jr remains in custody at the King County Correctional Facility on several charges, including murder, arson, unlawful possession of a firearm, identity theft, and trafficking in stolen property.
Victims of Richard Bradley Jr
The Seattle Times reported that authorities recovered the body of Brandi Blake in a shallow grave, and she died from blunt force injuries. During the discovery of Brandi's body, King County Sheriff's detectives found three human ribs nearly 30 feet from her grave. The ribs were identified as those of Emilio Maturin.
CBS News reported that, as per charging documents, Emilio Maturin was last spotted alive in July 2019. Two weeks later, Emilio, who was 36 years old at the time, was reported missing by his girlfriend.
Emilio's girlfriend informed authorities that she overheard Richard Bradley Jr asking for Emilio's help in digging up some gold. Although Emilio was initially doubtful, he allegedly went anyway in his recently purchased BMW.
According to the report by CBS News, Emilio's girlfriend tracked his cell phone to Game Farm Park in Auburn and headed to search for him, but she got scared and left. Some hours later, Auburn police located an unregistered BMW parked in a huge field at the park and waited for the driver to show up.
When they tried to stop the driver, the car took off. Richard was apprehended following a car and foot chase and charged with evading authorities. The Seattle Times reported that on December 5, 2023, Richard was charged with premeditated first-degree murder for his involvement in the death of Emilio Maturin.
Bradley was also regarded as a person of interest in the March 2021 fatal shootings of 59-year-old Michael Goeman and his 31-year-old son, Vance Lakey.
The report by The Seattle Times stated that in May 2021, Richard Bradley Jr was also charged with second-degree arson for allegedly offering a male individual $1,000 to set the duo's Dodge Durango after it had been impounded. On December 14, 2023, prosecutors added two counts of second-degree murder to the arson case.
Richard Bradley Jr's victims acquired substantial amounts of money before the killings
The New York Post reported that prosecutors claim that all four victims of Richard Bradley Jr were killed after unintentionally falling for his deranged scheme and subsequently after each of them had come into a substantial amount of money.
According to the media outlet, Richard allegedly informed each of them that he required their assistance digging into a hoard of gold in the forested area, then murdered them and stole any items they had on hand, as well as their vehicles, which he was spotted driving in the days after their disappearances.
The Seattle Times reported that Michael Goeman had obtained a large inheritance prior to the killing of him and his son, Vance Lakey, while Brandi Blake won $20,000 at a casino and was known to carry significant amounts of drugs and cash.
CBS News reported that Emilio Maturin also had a habit of carrying a huge sum of money outdoors with him and had about $15,000 in cash with him on the day of his disappearance.
According to the report by CBS News, Richard Bradley Jr is scheduled for his trial next month in Brandi Blake's death and is yet to have a chance to enter a plea on the other murder charges.
