A Washington state serial killer is accused of murdering at least four people by luring them with the promise of hidden treasure, the Seattle Times reports.
In each of the cases, authorities say 40-year-old Richard Bradley Jr., of Seattle, targeted people who had recently come into money or were known to carry large amounts of cash.
Prosecutors first charged Bradley in May 2021 with first-degree murder for the death of 44-year-old Brandi Blake, who had vanished after winning $20,000 from gambling at a casino. Her body was found buried in a grave in Auburn, Washington. Investigators determined she was killed by blunt force trauma.
Within the past two weeks, Bradley has also been charged with murdering three other people. He faces charges of second-degree murder for the deaths of 59-year-old Michael Goeman and his son, 31-year-old Vance Lakey, and premeditated first-degree murder for the death of 36-year-old Emilio Maturin.
Even though Bradley was arrested in May 2021 for the death of Blake, Maturin is believed to be the first victim; he vanished in July 2019 after his girlfriend told investigators she heard Bradley tell Maturin he needed help with digging up gold. Investigators found human ribs near Blake’s body that were matched to Maturin.
The bodies of Goeman and Lakey were found shot to death in April 2021 on a road in the same area as the other bodies.
Authorities allege that Bradley convinced the victims he needed assistance with unearthing the buried gold in a sprawling wooded area. Once he was alone with the victims, Bradley allegedly killed them and then stole their vehicles and the possessions they carried, according to the Associated Press.
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[Feature Photo: Richard Bradley Jr./Maleng Regional Justice Center]
