Washington state resident Richard Bradley Jr., currently in custody awaiting trial for one murder, now confronts three additional murder charges.
Prosecutors allege that Richard Bradley Jr., 40, enticed all four victims into helping him unearth buried gold
Initially charged in May 2021 with first-degree murder in the death of 44-year-old Brandi Blake, whose body was discovered buried in Auburn, Washington, Richard Bradley Jr. now faces three more murder charges. The victims include a father and adult son shot in May 2021 and a man whose remains were found near Blake’s grave in 2019.
Despite being set to stand trial next month for Blake’s death, Bradley has not yet entered a plea for the new charges, according to online court records. His defense attorney, Peter Geisness, has not responded to inquiries.
Court documents reveal a consistent pattern in Bradley’s alleged modus operandi. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Thomas O’Ban II contends that Richard Bradley Jr. employed the same scheme in each case, convincing victims to assist in digging up stolen gold, only to subsequently murder them in wooded areas, stealing their vehicles and possessions.
Emilio Maturin, 36, disappeared in July 2019 after Richard Bradley Jr. reportedly told him about buried gold in Auburn
Maturin’s girlfriend, overhearing the conversation, relayed to detectives that despite initial skepticism, Maturin accompanied Bradley. Maturin, known to carry large sums of cash, had approximately $15,000 when he left in his recently purchased BMW. The girlfriend traced Maturin’s cell phone to Game Farm Park, where she got scared and left. Hours later, police found an unregistered BMW, leading to Bradley’s arrest after a car and foot chase.
In another case, Michael Goeman, 59, and his son Vance Lakey, 31, were shot in March 2021, with bodies discovered near the park. Richard Bradley Jr., previously a person of interest, was charged with arson in May for attempting to set fire to the impounded SUV. Prosecutors recently added two counts of second-degree murder.
Blake, who went missing in May 2021 after winning $20,000 at a casino, was found buried in Game Farm Park. Bradley was charged that same month with her murder. In a grim turn, DNA from three human ribs found nearby was matched to Maturin, leading to Bradley’s additional murder charge in Maturin’s death.