Lester Paul Richmond, a 36-year-old man from Scottsdale with a prior conviction for animal cruelty, has been arrested in New Mexico after evading his sentencing hearing in Arizona. Richmond's earlier indictment involves a gruesome case where a husky puppy was discovered dead last June, its muzzle taped shut and a cord around its neck. According to details shared by KOLD, surveillance footage played a critical role in implicating Richmond, showing his vehicle and a disturbing admission caught on a Circle K store camera.
Following a plea agreement on a lesser animal cruelty charge, Richmond was expected to face sentencing on July 30. However, after he failed to appear, and the emergence of a new warrant, authorities were tipped off about his whereabouts leading to his detention at a bus stop in Las Cruces, NM. "After identifying Richmond as a potential lead, investigators were able to obtain video surveillance of Richmond and Auditor talking about getting rid of the puppy," Scottsdale police stated in July 2023, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Richmond's run-in with law enforcement is not his first: he was initially indicted in December, dodging authorities who later captured him in Troy, Alabama in February, and he was extradited to Arizona in March, authorities described. Police reports and court documents trace Richmond's connection to the animal cruelty case back to a neglected husky found abandoned in Scottsdale, an event that led to his and Heather Auditor's arrest.
The case has since progressed through the judicial system, with Richmond being held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center as he awaits extradition arrangements. "Lester Paul Richmond, 36, was taken into custody late last week and booked into a New Mexico jail on a fugitive from justice charge," detailed the coverage from KOLD. With Richmond's expected extradition within 30 days of his New Mexico apprehension, the case appears on a path to resolution. The distressing nature of the crime has garnered attention from animal rights activists and concerned citizens alike.
