SMYRNA, Georgia – The seemingly perfect family of Richard Merritt was shattered by tragedy when the man accused of being a “master manipulator” allegedly killed his mother and went on the run.
Richard’s path to alleged criminal behavior began after growing up in Saudi Arabia with his parents, Shirley and Robert Sr., who then moved to Georgia in the early 1990s after Robert Sr. retired from the military. Richard, who later pursued a career in law, allegedly struggled to find success, leading to accusations of defrauding clients of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Following criminal allegations, Richard’s mother stood by him, bailing him out of jail and paying his legal fees. However, after pleading guilty to fraud charges, Richard failed to surrender to authorities and was later accused of brutally murdering his mother. He managed to evade authorities for eight months before being located in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was living under an assumed name.
Eventually, Richard was charged with his mother’s murder and found guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. His brother, Robert Jr., expressed a lack of pity for Richard, citing his alleged lack of respect for their family and the unforgivable nature of his actions.
In January 2019, Richard pleaded guilty to the fraud charges against him. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and ordered to compensate his victims. The judge granted Richard two weeks to get his affairs in order before reporting to prison, on the conditions he wear an ankle monitor and remain with his mother, Shirley, at her DeKalb County home.
On the day he was to surrender to authorities, Richard failed to turn himself in and subsequently fled. He was eventually located in Nashville, Tennessee, in September 2019 and was charged with his mother’s murder. In May 2023, after pleading not guilty, he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.