The case:
Richard Merritt, a disgraced lawyer, is accused of killing his mother the day he was supposed to report to jail for financial crimes in February 2019. Prosecutors believe Merritt brutally stabbed 77-year-old Shirley Merritt as she was cooking him what was supposed to be his last meal before he went to prison.
Richard Merritt
Richard allegedly stabbed Shirley several times in the back and face – the force of the stab wounds was so great that the handle of the knife he was using broke. Investigators also found a 35-pound dumbbell with hair and blood on it that Richard allegedly used to hit Shirley on the head.
Immediately after the murder, Richard flew to Tennessee where he lived under a new alias. He got a job at a bar, started dating online, and met a new girlfriend. Eight months later, US Marshals caught up with Richard and arrested him for the gruesome crime.
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