Calif. man whose wife, mother-in-law died suspiciously is arrested in molestation of niece

CA man held in molest of niece after wife’s death

CHULA VISTA, Calif. — A California man whose wife and mother-in-law were found dead at the scene of a car crash that police suspect was staged has been arrested for investigation of molesting his 17-year-old niece.

Michael Eugene Richardson, 57, of Chula Vista remained jailed Friday without bail after his Thursday arrest for investigation of having unlawful sex with a minor and remained jailed Friday without bail.

He was expected to be charged Tuesday, said Kate Flaherty, a county deputy district attorney. A conviction usually carries a maximum term of three years in prison, she added.

It was not immediately clear whether Richardson had obtained an attorney.

On Tuesday, the bodies of his wife and mother-in-law were found outside a Honda Accord about 20 miles from Chula Vista in San Diego County.

The car was on its roof a few hundred feet down an embankment off state Route 67, but there were no skid marks, according to the California Highway Patrol.

“The manner of death for both of these ladies is a homicide,” sheriff’s Lt. Dennis Brugos said. “We believe that this accident was actually staged.”

The cause of the deaths remained under investigation.

Richardson, who owns an auto repair shop, was not arrested in connection with the deaths but remains the only person of interest, Brugos said.

Last December, Richardson’s niece and her mother moved into his home after arriving in the United States. He was arrested in March on suspicion of having unlawful sex with the teen, but prosecutors declined to pursue the case, according to court records.

Richardson’s sister-in-law also requested a temporary restraining order in March that would have forced him to move out. She wrote that Richardson’s wife had caught him and the teen “running away together,” according to court records.

The niece had refused to file her own restraining order, the woman wrote.

A judge ruled that evidence of their romance was hearsay and denied the request.

Chula Vista police Lt. Scott Arsenault said additional information was provided that led to Richardson’s arrest Thursday in connection with the alleged March incident. He did not elaborate.