There is an article from SB County in CA that mentions a man named David Ribis or Ribus. He is said to have killed Jesslyn Rich. He died of a heart attack about a year after the murder. I certainly would not want to be him!

Yeah being a dead Man must suck...

There is an article from SB County in CA that mentions a man named David Ribis or Ribus. He is said to have killed Jesslyn Rich. He died of a heart attack about a year after the murder. I certainly would not want to be him!

Could you post the link to the article? I can't find it.

I may be in the minority on this one, but I for one think it's a 50/50 chance that Jesslyn's murder had nothing to do with the Frontera scandal. I think she may have had a jealous ex-boyfriend or crazed stalker who killed her. The way she reacted to the man she saw at the bar shortly before she disappeared made me think it wasn't someone from the prison or else she would have made a remark to her friend about it.

Unfortunately there is no link available to this article. I have never actually seen it but I have been told that it exists.

I think this is the article that you are talking about:
http://articles.latimes.com/1992-07-31/local/me-4597_1_orange-police-department
Cars, it seems you were on the right track, the alleged killer worked at the bar where Jesslyn vanished from.

Yeah, I'm inclined to think that there was shady stuff going on at Frontera, but that Jesslyn's murder really had nothing to do with it. If a cop really did tell Betty that what happened to Jesslyn could happen to her, he may have just meant something "bad" not that it had anything to do with Frontera.

By the way, what is with LE telling Jesslyn's family that the remains they found were definitively hers and then changing their mind that it was her? That poor family.

Why on Earth didn't UM ever update the segment to talk about the suspect police believe murdered Jesslyn? That article was written back in 92, you think even on the Farina hosted episodes they would have updated it. In the UM segment, Jesslyn's friend that says she got a scared look on her face and she got up and went to the bathroom where a man followed her. Based on the article, it seems like Jesslyn may have not been as scared of the man as her friend thought, since police believe she willingly left with him and went to his apartment. The "scared" look could have been nothing more than her looking at a guy she was possibly interested in.

I also feel that Jesslyn's murder probably had little to nothing to do with Frontera. While I do believe that there were some shady goings on with the guards at Frontera, I had a very hard time placing any stock in anything that Betty Thompson had to say. Something about her just struck me as off. Her story just seemed very exaggerated and overblown to me. She seemed to be seeking attention to some extent, and portions of her story seemed a lot more like someone trying to make a situation sound shady and dangerous rather than actually having been in that kind of situation.

I also feel that Jesslyn's murder probably had little to nothing to do with Frontera. While I do believe that there were some shady goings on with the guards at Frontera, I had a very hard time placing any stock in anything that Betty Thompson had to say. Something about her just struck me as off. Her story just seemed very exaggerated and overblown to me. She seemed to be seeking attention to some extent, and portions of her story seemed a lot more like someone trying to make a situation sound shady and dangerous rather than actually having been in that kind of situation.

I don't think she was seeking attention, because she became genuinely upset in her interview on UM. And IIRC, didn't she call the cops when someone drove by and shot at her? She would obviously not be able to fake that or make that up, and just for the simple fact that someone actually shot at her makes her story look more credible, IMO. But I do not think the prison had anything to do with Jesslyn's murder. I am confused though, police say the case was closed in 92 but did they ever find her body?

While I do think the segment should've at least had an update, are statements from the suspect's family and the fact that he was an employee at this bar the only things the police have to connect the suspect to Rich? Seems a little tenuous on the surface.

While I do think the segment should've at least had an update, are statements from the suspect's family and the fact that he was an employee at this bar the only things the police have to connect the suspect to Rich? Seems a little tenuous on the surface.

They have to have more than that to outright accuse the guy in print, or else they could be facing a lawsuit. I think they have more on the guy, but didn't want to divulge it to the public for whatever reason.

I also feel that Jesslyn's murder probably had little to nothing to do with Frontera. While I do believe that there were some shady goings on with the guards at Frontera, I had a very hard time placing any stock in anything that Betty Thompson had to say. Something about her just struck me as off. Her story just seemed very exaggerated and overblown to me. She seemed to be seeking attention to some extent, and portions of her story seemed a lot more like someone trying to make a situation sound shady and dangerous rather than actually having been in that kind of situation.


I just saw the episode of Unsolved Mysteries on Lifetime last night that mentioned the case. I am suspicious of much of the story. While I do believe a prison guard named Jesslyn Rich disappeared and was murdered, I find a lot of Betty Thompson's story bogus. A female prisoner dies the day after supposedly saying she had information about Ms. Rich's murder? Why didn't the prisoner tell Ms. Thompson at that moment what she supposedly knew instead of promising to reveal it later? Was there anyone else to witness the supposed outburst? And why did Ms. Thompson go along with the falsification of the prisoner's alleged death instead of resigning?

If what Ms. Thompson said was true about massive corruption and murder at this prison, the California news media would have been all over it. But there is virtually no information on the Internet about it. Are the news media in on the "conspiracy"?

In order for there to have been a conspiracy, many people would have to be in on it. But all we have is the word of Betty Thompson. And for those of you who think she had no reason to lie, sometimes seeking attention is enough of a motive to do so.

How many times has this scenario played out: A person goes public with an outrageous story that includes a little truth but the vast majority of the story is unproven and unprovable.

I don't think she was seeking attention, because she became genuinely upset in her interview on UM. And IIRC, didn't she call the cops when someone drove by and shot at her? She would obviously not be able to fake that or make that up, and just for the simple fact that someone actually shot at her makes her story look more credible, IMO.


You don't believe people can put on a good act when they need to? All we have is her word someone shot at her and that she called the cops.

There's an article snippet shown during the segment that mentions other officers at Frontera, not just Betty Thompson, coming forward to reveal the curruption going on with the higher ups and drug trafficking at that prison.

I fully believe everything Betty said.

This story gives me every reason to believe that it is truthful. Plus everything I know which was not mentioned on the show cements my beliefs.

I guess the easiest thing to do is look up the lady and see if she still stands by her story all these years later.
Apparently some people are willing to believe it is possible to engineer a massive conspiracy without a single person breaking their silence.:rolleyes:

Well to my knowledge no one has heard from Betty Thompson since the show. I tried to look her up but met with no success.

It's not a mass conspiracy if several people spoke up about it. Frontera being a mess is not exactly shocking news.

There's an article snippet shown during the segment that mentions other officers at Frontera, not just Betty Thompson, coming forward to reveal the curruption going on with the higher ups and drug trafficking at that prison.

I fully believe everything Betty said.Same here, I just don't see any reason to believe she's lying.

Then there's that business that happened to Terri Lucas. That's pretty suspicious no matter what angle you come at it, in my opinion.

I think it's possible that Betty Thompson may have embellished a few details here and there to make Frontera's staff look even worse than it was but overall I believe she was telling the truth. I don't know what to think about Terri Lucas, though.

The lack of information on the Internet about whatever was happening at Frontera prison and any deaths connected to it suggests that the news media at the time didn't think it required extensive reporting. Let me say here that prison corruption is as unexpected as the sun coming up the following day, but if there were murders involved, that would be more newsworthy.
A lot of people here "believe" Betty Thompson. That is, you have faith in what you said. That is what shows likeUnsolved Mysteries often depend on.

The lack of information on the Internet about whatever was happening at Frontera prison and any deaths connected to it suggests that the news media at the time didn't think it required extensive reporting. Let me say here that prison corruption is as unexpected as the sun coming up the following day, but if there were murders involved, that would be more newsworthy.
A lot of people here "believe" Betty Thompson. That is, you have faith in what you said. That is what shows likeUnsolved Mysteries often depend on.

No, shows like Unsolved Mysteries are trying to validate the claims of the victims of these events. Betty Thompson had nothing to gain from coming forward. After all, at that point she had no job and might have been afraid of what could become of the situation. Also, perhaps she was trying to help solve the murder of Jesslyn Rich by bringing forth the info she learned.

Quite simple. Not everything is a full blown lie, and UM often did massive background work on their more serious cases.

Quite simple. Not everything is a full blown lie, and UM often did massive background work on their more serious cases.

Exactly. UM wouldn't waste the time and money to go fly out to a town, hire actors, film reeanctment scenes, set up interviews, etc. if they believed that the story was bogus or could have been bogus. I remember reading other cases that UM wouldn't do stories on (some of which were perfect for UM) because they got flooded with so many of them, they had to pick the best ones or most believable.

So, was Jesslyn Rich's killer ever identified?

http://articles.latimes.com/1992-07-31/local/me-4597_1_orange-police-department

The police consider the case closed, and the guy they suspect to have killed her died in 1990.

And it had nothing to do with the prison.

I fully do believe Bettys account of the corruption at Frontera. However, it is totally possible Rich's murder had nothing to do with it.


However, I'm very confused. I read the article and it said police believe she left the bar willingly with the suspect. So, what about her friends account of her excusing herself just to use to ladies room and just never returning? Rich seemed like a responsible and accountable person not someone who on a whim or impulse would willingly ditch her friends to go to some random guys apartment. How did her friends not see her come out of the restroom and leave with the suspect? So, police believe she willingly left the bar out some backdoor with maybe an acquaintance at best (if she had previously met him at the bar on occasion) or a stranger at worst? It really doesn't make sense. I don't understand given her friends account how they could believe she left willingly unless police came to believe her friends lied about the last time they saw her (which why would they?).

However, I'm very confused. I read the article and it said police believe she left the bar willingly with the suspect. So, what about her friends account of her excusing herself just to use to ladies room and just never returning? Rich seemed like a responsible and accountable person not someone who on a whim or impulse would willingly ditch her friends to go to some random guys apartment. How did her friends not see her come out of the restroom and leave with the suspect? So, police believe she willingly left the bar out some backdoor with maybe an acquaintance at best (if she had previously met him at the bar on occasion) or a stranger at worst? It really doesn't make sense. I don't understand given her friends account how they could believe she left willingly unless police came to believe her friends lied about the last time they saw her (which why would they?).


I agree. That's partly why I figured something at work possibly tied into her disappearance and murder.

Well, it just makes me question how police came to their conclusions. This "suspect" could very well be her murderer but their scenario that she left willingly with him contradicts her friends account entirely and Richs personality doesn't seem someone who would just "sneak out a backdoor with a random guy and ditch her friends." Not one account says Rich was intoxicated either (not that that would entirely explain it either).

If police conclude that she left willingly, then it just makes me question their other conclusion. Its so odd they wont release any information at all about the weapon, exactly what lead them to believe it was this suspect, or why/how she would leave with him willingly. There have been plenty of suspects that have died and years after their death police do release their name. They must have incredibly flimsy evidence maybe even so much that if he was alive a DA wouldn't bring charges. Like I said, I'm not saying this guy didn't do it, he very well could have, I just don't like a case closed like this without any real explanation and the one they did say "left willingly" doesn't fit to me.

Actually I take that all back. I just read and found an article from 1985 on the case. Looks like UM used the friends account only and didn't elaborate like this article did. Okay nevermind guys! lol


Mystery: What Happened to Jesslyn Rich?

June 24, 1985|LIZ MULLEN


Her family and friends think there is only a very slim chance that Jesslyn Rich is alive. And they don't know if they will ever find out what happened to her.

Rich, a 35-year-old prison guard, disappeared from Charlie's Wild West bar in Orange on Nov. 11, 1984. Her new sports car was found locked in the parking lot. Her credit cards and bank book, which disappeared with her, have not been used.

Except for a key chain imprinted with the address of her bank, which was dropped in a mailbox near the bar, Rich disappeared without a trace.

Orange Police Detective Bob Taylor said he and two other detectives have spent "hundreds of hours" investigating her disappearance. The file still is open, he said, but the case has been dormant for months.

Detective's Conjectures

Taylor said he doesn't know what happened. Perhaps, he said, "she walked outside and just decided, 'I'm not going home.' We stay away from suggesting there was foul play."

Rich's family and friends say they believe she was abducted, and probably killed. They say the police didn't question witnesses thoroughly, and didn't follow leads. Rich's brother, Gary Munz, said the police account of the disappearance itself is wrong.

Rich and her daughters, ages 11 and 14, lived in a house she owned in Riverside. Her supervisor said Rich had an excellent work record at the California Institute for Women at Frontera, where she had been a guard for two years. She was getting an A in her law enforcement class at Chaffey College, and hoped to be promoted to sergeant at the prison.

"She was making better money than she ever did before," Munz said. "I'm not saying that everything was peachy. There were some tough people (at the prison). But she was happy that she had a job that was a career, that she had a chance of promotion."

After her divorce seven years ago, "there were times when it was a struggle" for Rich to support her family, Munz said. But her job at the prison changed things.

"She was getting her house paid off. She bought her kids new clothes, two beach cruiser bikes," Munz said. "She was taking classes at Chaffey College. She was up for a grand jury selection. She was excited about it, she wanted to take her place in society."

John McGee, Rich's law enforcement professor at Chaffey College, described her as a "fantastic student" who received A's on all her work. "She never missed a class, she was never late," he said. "She simply would not walk away from those kids."

'A Very Stable Employee'

Lt. Vale Smith, her supervisor at the prison, said Rich was "a very stable employee. She was a very positive worker, well liked by co-workers, well liked by inmates."

Rich disappeared the Sunday night of Veterans Day weekend. One problem with the case, Taylor said, was that Rich's mother called the Riverside Sheriff's Department, which turned the case over to Orange police on Thursday. "We were behind four days at the beginning."





It was difficult to find witnesses who had been at the bar that night, and memories a few days later were no longer fresh, Taylor said.

Stories about how and when Rich left the bar differed, he said. The story police believe, he said, came from a waitress. "We're going by what we consider to be the best witness," he said. "In a bar situation, time passes, people are talking, drinking. A barmaid knows what's going on, who's sitting where."

Waitress's Account

The waitress told police Rich left the bar through the front door, carrying her purse, at about 9:30 that night, Taylor said.

But Rich's brother says he doesn't believe that account. "What are they (the police) telling me? That there's just one person (who was in the bar) who's not an idiot who just happened to say nothing's wrong, that she walked out on her own free will."

Six or seven people told Munz his sister went out the back door, he said. Three people said Rich's purse was in the booth about 30 minutes after she disappeared, and then the purse was gone, he said.

"How does she come back in the bar and pick it up, when they're all looking for her?" Munz said. "She doesn't."

Marilyn Ault, Rich's friend since high school, was with her that night. At about 8:30 p.m., Ault said, Rich walked toward the restroom at the back of the bar. When Rich didn't return in half an hour, Ault said, she began looking for her.

Ault says she saw Rich's purse on a chair just after she disappeared. "I know I saw the purse sitting there, and then it was gone."

It was then that another woman at the bar told Ault she had seen a woman lying in the back seat of a car parked behind the bar, Ault said. The woman also told her that the man who owned the car said Rich "would be taken care of," Ault said. Ault assumed Rich, who had been talking to the man earlier, had left with him.

Taylor said he couldn't comment on that story because it was still being investigated.

Mother Urges Publicity


http://articles.latimes.com/1985-06-24/local/me-845_1_george-rich

It was difficult to find witnesses who had been at the bar that night, and memories a few days later were no longer fresh, Taylor said.

Stories about how and when Rich left the bar differed, he said. The story police believe, he said, came from a waitress. "We're going by what we consider to be the best witness," he said. "In a bar situation, time passes, people are talking, drinking. A barmaid knows what's going on, who's sitting where."

Waitress's Account

The waitress told police Rich left the bar through the front door, carrying her purse, at about 9:30 that night, Taylor said.

But Rich's brother says he doesn't believe that account. "What are they (the police) telling me? That there's just one person (who was in the bar) who's not an idiot who just happened to say nothing's wrong, that she walked out on her own free will."

Six or seven people told Munz his sister went out the back door, he said. Three people said Rich's purse was in the booth about 30 minutes after she disappeared, and then the purse was gone, he said.

"How does she come back in the bar and pick it up, when they're all looking for her?" Munz said. "She doesn't."

Marilyn Ault, Rich's friend since high school, was with her that night. At about 8:30 p.m., Ault said, Rich walked toward the restroom at the back of the bar. When Rich didn't return in half an hour, Ault said, she began looking for her.

Ault says she saw Rich's purse on a chair just after she disappeared. "I know I saw the purse sitting there, and then it was gone."

It was then that another woman at the bar told Ault she had seen a woman lying in the back seat of a car parked behind the bar, Ault said. The woman also told her that the man who owned the car said Rich "would be taken care of," Ault said. Ault assumed Rich, who had been talking to the man earlier, had left with him.

Taylor said he couldn't comment on that story because it was still being investigated.

Mother Urges Publicity


http://articles.latimes.com/1985-06-24/local/me-845_1_george-rich

Well, this is definitely interesting. Seems like this should have been mentioned during the UM broadcast.

We have to remember that there is a very real possibility that Jesslyn's friend may have been intoxicated at the time she was witnessing these things. Even if she wasn't, it wouldn't be uncommon for her to misremember certain details about that evening (such as the purse).

The man whom police believe to be responsible confessed to family members shortly before he died. He also worked at the bar she was last seen alive at. I'm assuming there was a prior connection between Jesslyn and this man, because the police interviewed him twice shortly after Jesslyn disappeared.

The big kicker is that the friend saw Jesslyn talking to this guy prior to her disappearing and when she couldn't find Jesslyn she says that she just "assumed" she went home with him. Doesn't seem to me like Jesslyn was deathly afraid of this guy (like it was implied in the UM segment).

I love Unsolved Mysteries but since this article was written in 1985 just 8/9 months after she vanished clearly UM producers and researchers had this information and choose to only use Marilyn's account which actually shifted my entire view on the case. In this article, Marilyn doesn't even mention Jesslyn looking fearfully at the door as someone came into the bar or even that Jesslyn said she "was going to the bathroom" but rather was headed in the direction of the bathroom. Unsolved left out the waitresses account (the one police thought was most credible) or the others who saw her leave out the backdoor. In any case they only presented Marilyn's account and it seems different in this article anyways. Um made it seem more dramatic. Even if they couldn't interview the waitress or others who saw her leave that night, they could have included it in the segment. It just makes it seem they wanted her disappearance to fit the Frontera segment to the point they left out details that could have made it seem it was something else entirely

For the record: I do believe Bettys account that Frontera was incredibly corrupt and that was based on many that testified. However, UM trying to make Jesslyns disappearance "fit" perfectly the Frontera angle is just slightly annoying. I get it from a TV show point of view but as for the actual case, I'm not a fan of that.

For the record: I do believe Bettys account that Frontera was incredibly corrupt and that was based on many that testified. However, UM trying to make Jesslyns disappearance "fit" perfectly the Frontera angle is just slightly annoying. I get it from a TV show point of view but as for the actual case, I'm not a fan of that.

I agree.

And I cannot for the life of me understand why UM never included an "update" to this case where they state that the police know believe they know who killed Jesslyn and consider the case to be closed.

I agree.

And I cannot for the life of me understand why UM never included an "update" to this case where they state that the police know believe they know who killed Jesslyn and consider the case to be closed.


Didn't they have an update that bones fragments or bones were found in the desert that were finally identified as Jesslyn's? If I'm not mistaken though that turned out to be incorrect and it wasn't actually Jesslyns remains? I believe a family member of hers said that somewhere either on this board awhile back or somewhere online? UM never even updated that let alone that this other update.

This case reminds me a lot of the Michael Francke case in that you have two individuals working in prison systems who wind up dead. At first, their deaths appear to be suspicious and tied to their work, but later it's revealed their work had nothing to do with how they died.

One thing I don't understand is why Teri Lucas wasn't checked out closer. If Jesslyn was indeed killed by someone from (or at) that Country-Western bar and it had absolutely nothing to do with anyone/anything at Frontera, why would Lucas just randomly spout off about that?? Was she hoping to get attention/sympathy/leniency? Possibly wanting to get some of the allegedly corrupt staff in hot water? Or was Betty Thompson at fault, possibly mis-characterizing that whole part of things?

I know that guy who made the deathbed confession being dead now makes it hard, if not impossible to for definitive conclusions to be made, but in hindsight, the whole Frontera conspiracy angle seems a little too overwrought

(yeah, the place was corrupt to high heaven, but come on, someone didn't do enough due diligence here........)

This is probably one of my favourite segments.

With regard to the "differences" in Ault's UM and news paper interview, it's important to remember that both are ultimately being edited for time and length. UM only had so many minutes to dedicate to the segment, and a news paper (especially in that era) would have only allocated so much physical space to a story so it was common for paragraphs to be cut to stay within that allocation. Both editorial teams may have felt they had what they needed without the other details. Neither version conflicts with the other, just have different details omitted. So I tend to go that route not that she was changing her story or that UM presented an inaccurate picture.

I don't get why Terry Lucas would be speaking about Jesslyn Rich if there wasn't some connection. It's not like Betty Thompson was investigating anything related to Jesslyn, it came up out of nowhere for her - twice by two people. Something must have been going on there for the entire incident resulting in people shooting at her. Even if she was killed by an employee at a bar, that doesn't necessarily eliminate him from the Frontera drug ring. Dive bars have their own drug issues, and depending how diverse the area is they might share suppliers.

What saddens me most in all of this is how Terry Lucas is a footnote in her own murder. UM framed the entire segment around seeking info for Jesslyn and from what little press coverage can be found these days they all focus on her. So whether Jesslyn was killed by a bar employee or in relation to Frontera ultimately everything Betty Thompson described and co-workers testified about is still very relevant to the death of Terry Lucas.

Also

"Police are now trying to determine whether body parts found in San Bernardino County in 1984 are the victim's remains."


Would those be the same body parts they eventually ruled were not hers, after initially saying they were? Cause if so that casts doubt on the rest.

This is probably one of my favourite segments.

With regard to the "differences" in Ault's UM and news paper interview, it's important to remember that both are ultimately being edited for time and length. UM only had so many minutes to dedicate to the segment, and a news paper (especially in that era) would have only allocated so much physical space to a story so it was common for paragraphs to be cut to stay within that allocation. Both editorial teams may have felt they had what they needed without the other details. Neither version conflicts with the other, just have different details omitted. So I tend to go that route not that she was changing her story or that UM presented an inaccurate picture.

I don't get why Terry Lucas would be speaking about Jesslyn Rich if there wasn't some connection. It's not like Betty Thompson was investigating anything related to Jesslyn, it came up out of nowhere for her - twice by two people. Something must have been going on there for the entire incident resulting in people shooting at her. Even if she was killed by an employee at a bar, that doesn't necessarily eliminate him from the Frontera drug ring. Dive bars have their own drug issues, and depending how diverse the area is they might share suppliers.

What saddens me most in all of this is how Terry Lucas is a footnote in her own murder. UM framed the entire segment around seeking info for Jesslyn and from what little press coverage can be found these days they all focus on her. So whether Jesslyn was killed by a bar employee or in relation to Frontera ultimately everything Betty Thompson described and co-workers testified about is still very relevant to the death of Terry Lucas.

This is all thin......but in the segment, while they were recounting the night out at the bar, they mentioned a look of fright coming over Jesslyn as she glanced towards the front door. From here, there are a two different paths you could take (both of which would give Terri Lucas reason to say what she did to Betty Thompson).

-She saw someone from Frontera, possibly the same person alluded to in the note she wrote (that her brother later found ripped up in the trash - who would have an inmate or someone 'take care of' whoever interfered in his illicit activities). This person could've also been the one Marilyn Ault saw out of the corner of her eye.

-An employee or employees at the bar were involved or at least acquainted with one or more corrupt elements from Frontera (whether it be through drugs or something else). One of these Frontera folks could've arrived and simply by doing so, served as a signal to an associated bar employee to make a move on Jesslyn.

Either way, if one were to assume that Ault's recollection of Jesslyn getting spooked is true (and not the byproduct of a slightly buzzed imagination), then I would think the only people at that time who could spook her so, would be the ones she was suspicious of at work.

Also

"Police are now trying to determine whether body parts found in San Bernardino County in 1984 are the victim's remains."


Would those be the same body parts they eventually ruled were not hers, after initially saying they were? Cause if so that casts doubt on the rest.

I read the update at the bottom on the UM wiki and IMO, I think those would indeed be the same body parts (that DNA tests said weren't from Jesslyn)

http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Jesslyn_Rich

It's also not unheard of for police and guards to run in the same circles, and even transition between jobs. So if there was a massive drugs conspiracy underway then they may be protecting the guards and using a dead man as an easy scapegoat.

This comment was posted over at unsolved.com and it's pretty interesting:

It is amazing how this continues to grow feet and fuel the theory of conspiracy. In 2005, the FBI closed this case because the man they suspected of killing Rich passed away. They had him under surveillance for years but never could get enough on him to convict him. The FBI revealed to us that they found a hand in the desert they suspected of being Rich’s and confirmed she left the bar with this man. The man was not a prison employee nor was he affiliated with the prison in anyway. As far as Ms Thompson was concerned, the FBI discredited her story because of two glaring flaws: 1) she could not state the name of one supervisor or co-worker she reported her “findings” to and 2) since she only worked the hospital (infirmary clinic) one day she had no knowledge of how long Lucas was deceased. As followed this case, we found that an inmate claimed to have been forced to change reports but in reality testimony revealed this inmate oftentimes had staff (stupid) sign a blank sheet of paper where they signature would normally appear, and she typed up their story as she saw fit – all because the staff were too lazy to stay and complete their reports or too dumb to write clearly. Later, a forensic TV show (Unsolved Mysteries I believe) reported on everything I have said. Ms. Thompson got her stress retirement, the inmate got her transfer and release, the accused Lieutenant took a plea deal to avoid a trial and was basically exonerated anyway.

Interesting if true. And calls into question some of what Betty Thompson was alleging.

This comment was posted over at unsolved.com and it's pretty interesting:


The FBI revealed to us that they found a hand in the desert they suspected of being Rich’s and confirmed she left the bar with this man.

Interesting if true. And calls into question some of what Betty Thompson was alleging.

They suspected it, but they never confirmed it? I wonder when they found it. Seems they should have been able to extract DNA at the very least, unless it was severely burned or whatever, and the DNA destroyed. Interesting either way...

Link (http://www.detroitgothic.net/index.php?/topic/20577-the-murder-of-jesslyn-rich/) to a discussion about this hand/body part being found, by Jesslyn's daughter:


My name is Leslie Grace. My maiden name is Rich. Jesslyn Rich is my Mother. I had to respond to your post because the ending is not true. The body parts found in San Bernardino, California were never identified. There were 3 or 4 body parts found. One of them was a forearm with the hand attached and another was the bottom part of someone's leg (cut off from the knee down) My Mother's shoe size was not the same as the size of whoever's foot that was and the fingerprints from the hand were not a match to my Mother's. The remains were never IDed. I have recently given my DNA to the police for an investigation involving these body parts. They are using my DNA to disprove that the parts belong to my Mother. Feel free to write to me if you like.

Link (http://www.detroitgothic.net/index.php?/topic/20577-the-murder-of-jesslyn-rich/) to a discussion about this hand/body part being found, by Jesslyn's daughter:



The partial remains found were legs and a foot. They were never compaired with DNA as the coroners office in San Bernardino stated,(to the press) that they destroyed the remains as they were not a repository for all the remains found in the desert! Her case is still listed with the DOJ as a missing person.

The final comment in the discussion. If this is true, and they destroyed them without getting any kind of samples, then that is some stunningly crappy police work. It makes you wonder how many missing persons cases could've at least been updated if only the department actually...I dunno....did their job? If they come across THAT many bones that they complain they're not a repository for all the remains found in the desert, then it stands to reason there might be a great deal of bodies not being identified that COULD potentially be...

I was pretty surprised to see no update on Amazon after finding the updates via google.

The partial remains found were legs and a foot. They were never compaired with DNA as the coroners office in San Bernardino stated,(to the press) that they destroyed the remains as they were not a repository for all the remains found in the desert! Her case is still listed with the DOJ as a missing person.

The final comment in the discussion. If this is true, and they destroyed them without getting any kind of samples, then that is some stunningly crappy police work. It makes you wonder how many missing persons cases could've at least been updated if only the department actually...I dunno....did their job? If they come across THAT many bones that they complain they're not a repository for all the remains found in the desert, then it stands to reason there might be a great deal of bodies not being identified that COULD potentially be...

Agreed. Totally mind boggling how they could make such a stupid and short sighted decision.

I think Jesslyn Rich's disappearance and murder had nothing to do with Frontera, and that Terri Lucas's claims could not be verified and that she more likely than not died of a medical condition and was not murdered. I don't doubt the corruption that went on at the prison, but I don't think it had anything to do with either of their deaths.

I think Jesslyn Rich's disappearance and murder had nothing to do with Frontera, and that Terri Lucas's claims could not be verified and that she more likely than not died of a medical condition and was not murdered. I don't doubt the corruption that went on at the prison, but I don't think it had anything to do with either of their deaths.

Fair enough. Do you think that Terri's body sat in her cell for days, as it was reported? I'm just curious. If her death wasn't related to Rich's disappearance, I'd wonder why she was just left there...

Fair enough. Do you think that Terri's body sat in her cell for days, as it was reported? I'm just curious. If her death wasn't related to Rich's disappearance, I'd wonder why she was just left there...

If that commenter on UM's website has accurate information, the FBI investigation Betty Thompson's claims and found them without merit because she could not recall the names of the supervisors she reported the corruption/abuse to, and because she had only be assigned to work in the infirmary for one day so she would have no way of knowing how long Terri Lucas's body was in the cell.

If that commenter on UM's website has accurate information, the FBI investigation Betty Thompson's claims and found them without merit because she could not recall the names of the supervisors she reported the corruption/abuse to, and because she had only be assigned to work in the infirmary for one day so she would have no way of knowing how long Terri Lucas's body was in the cell.

Thanks for shining some more light on that point. This was the one thing that always had me running around in circles*. I'm starting to think more and more that Betty Thompson, if she didn't lie outright, then embellished things to a good degree.

-Not only would she have no clue as to how long Lucas' body would've been in the cell, the whole bit about Lucas mentioning "I can tell you what happened to Jesslyn Rich" could also be thrown into question*

-For something that was as serious as Thompson claimed, I would think she'd remember the names of who she talked to (and would even document it too just to be safe). The fact she didn't, while still plausible, is a big red flag IMO.

Not really buying Thompson's story-a dead body sits in a cell for three days & she did nothing after the promise by the nurses to take care of it didn't happen? Wouldn't she report it to the governor? Are we supposed to believe that every other guard was corrupt & didn't do anything? Wouldn't the body smell pretty bad in a cramped prison which you would think would be a warm place after a day or so? Surely the stench must have been unbearable for everybody?

Also if you had a prison officer trying to enter her cell illegally & she told you she had information pertaining to the vanishing & suspected murder of jail officer would you just leave her alone in her cell, or would you not take her to the governor & get her moved/protection put in place while she spilled the beans?

This superior of hers was supposed to be standing trial in 1991 but there are no reports I can find of her actually doing so. To believe Thompson's story you have to believe that every guard & inmate were happy to smell a rotting corpse for three days, that a coroner was somehow intimidated into going along with it & that Thompson felt no need to go over the Lieutenants head despite what she had been told & seen. She comes across more as a bitter ex employee with axes to grind.

Not really buying Thompson's story-a dead body sits in a cell for three days & she did nothing after the promise by the nurses to take care of it didn't happen? Wouldn't she report it to the governor? Are we supposed to believe that every other guard was corrupt & didn't do anything? Wouldn't the body smell pretty bad in a cramped prison which you would think would be a warm place after a day or so? Surely the stench must have been unbearable for everybody?

Also if you had a prison officer trying to enter her cell illegally & she told you she had information pertaining to the vanishing & suspected murder of jail officer would you just leave her alone in her cell, or would you not take her to the governor & get her moved/protection put in place while she spilled the beans?

This superior of hers was supposed to be standing trial in 1991 but there are no reports I can find of her actually doing so. To believe Thompson's story you have to believe that every guard & inmate were happy to smell a rotting corpse for three days, that a coroner was somehow intimidated into going along with it & that Thompson felt no need to go over the Lieutenants head despite what she had been told & seen. She comes across more as a bitter ex employee with axes to grind.

So I've often wondered about precisely what you brought up here, i.e., the smell of a decomposing body and what little attention it seemed to attract given only what we know from the segment.

After working in a hospital for a few years now, I can tell you it doesn't take incredibly long for a body to begin to give off odor, and that's even in a morgue freezer. It would absolutely be present at three days, especially in an environment in which the climate wasn't optimally controlled to slow the rate of decomposition. Prisons are almost certainly places full of foul odors, but I'm certain that one would've provoked numerous complaints from inmates, and officers (presumably those "not in on" the alleged conspiracy) would've searched to locate the source.

Thompson's apparent failure to notify the warden, governor, or other ranking official isn't as striking to me--there may be a myriad of reasonable explanations, many of them probably centering around feeling intimidated, that might be sufficient.

But the story about Terri's body being left in the cell I have trouble with. I'll give her that it may be true that it was left in there for some time after death, perhaps even several hours, but I just cannot accept that it was there for three days without it being noticed en masse by the people occupying that building.

So I've often wondered about precisely what you brought up here, i.e., the smell of a decomposing body and what little attention it seemed to attract given only what we know from the segment.

After working in a hospital for a few years now, I can tell you it doesn't take incredibly long for a body to begin to give off odor, and that's even in a morgue freezer. It would absolutely be present at three days, especially in an environment in which the climate wasn't optimally controlled to slow the rate of decomposition. Prisons are almost certainly places full of foul odors, but I'm certain that one would've provoked numerous complaints from inmates, and officers (presumably those "not in on" the alleged conspiracy) would've searched to locate the source.

Thompson's apparent failure to notify the warden, governor, or other ranking official isn't as striking to me--there may be a myriad of reasonable explanations, many of them probably centering around feeling intimidated, that might be sufficient.

But the story about Terri's body being left in the cell I have trouble with. I'll give her that it may be true that it was left in there for some time after death, perhaps even several hours, but I just cannot accept that it was there for three days without it being noticed en masse by the people occupying that building.

I can understand it in a way-but if it got to the point you were being told you couldn't leave the jail until you signed a false statement, or you were getting calls making threats on your life & it seems the Lieutenant is the one instigating it, then would you not go over their head to the governor or even further up the line if that bought no joy? Another thing I forgot to add to the post was don't most jails etc have unions & union reps you can go to?

I believe her story to an extent-in that there was likely bullying & intimidation & warders running rackets revolving around drugs & sex, but that seems to be common to a lot of jails. I like yourself just cannot buy a corpse being allowed to rot for three days with nobody doing anything, nor an independent coroner being intimidated into changing his official report-something for which he would almost certainly be fired for & prosecuted. In fact I don't see any reason why he would tell her or any other member of staff anything-when he had just made a cursory examination of the body. I think a certain amount of embellishment likely happened here-maybe the body wasn't taken away for a few hours, which then turns into a few days. Other than the bullet at her home there is little evidence to back up anything she said, would be interesting to know if they ever traced the bullet or bullets & whether she had a gun or not-is it possible she fired them herself?

Another thing I forgot to add to the post was don't most jails etc have unions & union reps you can go to?

Like for the correctional officers? Hoo boy, not in my state, or really the southeastern U.S. in general. Not sure about California, although it seems like they'd be more likely to have something like that in place than we would here in Tennessee.

I don't believe Betty Thompson was intentionally shooting up her home or filing false police reports. There wasn't anything for her to gain out of falsifying anything, being a whistle blower would have meant the end of her career. This wasn't exactly an era when one would get famous for such things.

I think the issues at Frontera and Betty Thompson could be a hybrid of reality and embellishment on Thompson's part. Perhaps some of those things did happen just as she said, and perhaps some were exaggerated at best and fabricated at worst. Occasionally, people voicing legitimate concerns about a group or institution will engage in such behavior because they feel they aren't being listening to. Obviously this results in that subject losing credibility in the process. I think it's possible something similar could've happened with Thompson.

At this point I think I'll have to co-sign on the Rich disappearance being unrelated. I just don't see much evidence other than Terri Lucas claiming she had information about it, and unfortunately for an inmate, information can function as currency whether reliable or not. As she's deceased, it's virtually impossible to assess the situation much further in that regard.

I think there's still a potential for them to be connected, but could go either way. The bar and Frontera may have shared the same drugs source or been part of the same ring.

I just don't understand why an inmate would be name dropping Rich to someone who had nothing to do with her and wasn't looking into anything to do with her.

Isn't covering up a murder as "complications from diabetes" just laughable? Terry Lucas claimed to have knowledge of Jesslyn Rich's murder three years after her disappearance. What's more likely here? That her killer, although with no known connections with Frontera, would somehow tell someone who then directly or indirectly let it slip in front of Terry Lucas, or that this was just a case of an inmate throwing out "information" as a way to get better treatment from the guards?

And I don't want to pile on Betty Thompson, but I suppose it's also possible that she used Terry Lucas's death as further evidence of corruption going on at Frontera, and then threw in the line about her knowing information about Jesslyn Rich to make it seem more believable. I don't necessarily think it's likely, but I wouldn't call it improbable either.

So then if there was nothing to inform on who shot up her home? She couldn't very likely stand in her drive way and shoot the garage door, a neighbor could have seen it and blown the whole thing. She'd have had to arrange for someone to drive by shoot and miss her? Seems far fetched.

So then if there was nothing to inform on who shot up her home? She couldn't very likely stand in her drive way and shoot the garage door, a neighbor could have seen it and blown the whole thing. She'd have had to arrange for someone to drive by shoot and miss her? Seems far fetched.

I wouldn't put it past her to have lied about that. Remember, Stack didn't say there was a police officer at her house on that night and the police weren't asked/interviewed about that - it came directly from her

I wouldn't put it past her to have lied about that. Remember, Stack didn't say there was a police officer at her house on that night and the police weren't asked/interviewed about that - it came directly from her

I can't see that getting past their researchers though. Stack narrated the gunshot, she described the officer at her home and noting in his report the threatening phone call she received. If there was no report they would have found that out with relative ease.

So then if there was nothing to inform on who shot up her home? She couldn't very likely stand in her drive way and shoot the garage door, a neighbor could have seen it and blown the whole thing. She'd have had to arrange for someone to drive by shoot and miss her? Seems far fetched.

Who's to say it had anything to do with Frontera? Remember the bike shop where Chad Maurer worked at was shot up shortly after his disappearance and death, but it was later determined to have no connection with his case.

Frontera's problems with corruption and drugs had been made public by several guards who testified about them, not just Betty Thompson. Although the Terry Lucas saga seems to come just from Betty.

Part of the article snippet shown on the UM segment mentions another prison guard by the name of Kovacs, who was raped by a guard at Frontera. She was allegedly ordered by Frontera personnel never to report this assault or she would be "taken care of." Sound familiar? According to Kovacs, the threats shook her so much that she had to take a leave from her job, losing her house and car as a result. She also said the constant death threats drove her to the brink of suicide. She was quoted as saying officers NEVER report other officers but she testified anyway alongside Betty Thompson and four other Frontera guards.

Even if you poke holes in Betty's story about Terry Lucas, the corruption at Frontera was apparently a real problem throughout the 1980's, verified by AT LEAST several people who worked there. The accused people were not above threatening anyone who crossed them or had the balls to stand up to them. That's why I believe they were responsible for that shooting incident of Betty in her own driveway.

As far as Jesslyn Rich goes, even if her death ended up being completely unrelated to Frontera and she had not been killed that night (weekend?) she disappeared, I still think her life would have been in danger from the various folks at Frontera.

I can't see that getting past their researchers though. Stack narrated the gunshot, she described the officer at her home and noting in his report the threatening phone call she received. If there was no report they would have found that out with relative ease.

As we know UM often cherry picked the facts to push a certain angle while leaving out other views or editing them. Was there any confirmation from the police officer in question this happened? What happened in the aftermath? Somebody alleging death threats at work & at home would surely have their phone or phones at home wired to trace incoming calls-did this happen? Were video cameras installed? Why did nothing else happen? After all the warning was supposedly to keep quiet or next time they wouldn't miss, yet in the ensuing 4 years plus until UM aired the segment she was obviously not being quiet. Is it really beyond the realms of possibility that the call if it happened while the cop was there was not a wrong number or somebody else she asked to call at that time who was in on it?

Who's to say it had anything to do with Frontera? Remember the bike shop where Chad Maurer worked at was shot up shortly after his disappearance and death, but it was later determined to have no connection with his case.

Yep, I have wondered what that was all about.

Frontera's problems with corruption and drugs had been made public by several guards who testified about them, not just Betty Thompson. Although the Terry Lucas saga seems to come just from Betty.

Part of the article snippet shown on the UM segment mentions another prison guard by the name of Kovacs, who was raped by a guard at Frontera. She was allegedly ordered by Frontera personnel never to report this assault or she would be "taken care of." Sound familiar? According to Kovacs, the threats shook her so much that she had to take a leave from her job, losing her house and car as a result. She also said the constant death threats drove her to the brink of suicide. She was quoted as saying officers NEVER report other officers but she testified anyway alongside Betty Thompson and four other Frontera guards.

Even if you poke holes in Betty's story about Terry Lucas, the corruption at Frontera was apparently a real problem throughout the 1980's, verified by AT LEAST several people who worked there. The accused people were not above threatening anyone who crossed them or had the balls to stand up to them. That's why I believe they were responsible for that shooting incident of Betty in her own driveway.

As far as Jesslyn Rich goes, even if her death ended up being completely unrelated to Frontera and she had not been killed that night (weekend?) she disappeared, I still think her life would have been in danger from the various folks at Frontera.

So again we have somebody being told not to report this incident or else, yet she ends up telling a show being shown worldwide at some point & like Thompson never reported this to the governor of the jail, go over their head or tell the police, happy to lose her home & vehicle in the process.

What exactly happened with this testimony? I cannot find any record of anybody being convicted. Lt Karmen Juarez was supposed to be standing trial according to newspaper reports from the summer of 1991, but there is nothing said about any conviction or what happened to here-the reports say she had been put on paid leave after the death of Lucas for 3 years-when exactly was Thompson no longer working at the jail? There are so many details missing in this case.

I suspect that Rich was simply the victim of a predator, why if she was so scared of somebody coming in would she go out the back to meet them? Why would her friend not even turn her head to see what the hell she was looking at? The waitress says she left by the front, her friends say they only became concerned when she hadn't returned from the bathroom for 30 minutes! Something doesn't add up with their story & you would have to consider them potential suspects, of course she might have gone outside to smoke & just fell prey to a rapist/killer through bad timing-as we have seen on UM & other crime shows it happens a lot.

Why on earth would anybody from the jail trying to keep things hush-hush follow her to a bar when she is out with other people & risk being seen, when they could just pick her off at her home in the dead of night?

Somebody alleging death threats at work & at home would surely have their phone or phones at home wired to trace incoming calls-did this happen? Were video cameras installed?


It's a known fact that the anti-stalking and harassment laws have never been sufficiently adequate to offer protection to the victims, especially women and back then.

If she could afford an expensive video surveillance system in the late 80s she wouldn't have had to be working as a prison guard in the first place.

If she could afford an expensive video surveillance system in the late 80s she wouldn't have had to be working as a prison guard in the first place.

Indeed. Very few people would be able to afford a video surveillance system on their house in the 80's unless they had the luxury of money to burn.

Even tracing phone calls in the 1980's was a complicated ordeal. Wiring your phone, the caller would have to remain on the line for multiple minutes before the call could even be traced. If he/she hung up quickly, as most threatening calls do, you were out of luck.

How do we know the “witnesses” on this or any other case don’t just make up stories to get their 15 minutes of fame and some money?

Re: Jesslyn Rich, after watching the segment & doing some research - it looks like someone at the country/western bar where she was last seen admitted to killing her. If this is what actually happened, it sounds like she was targeted at the bar & that this was done by a lone criminal.

So, if that is actually the case - than her death was not connected to any kind of conspiracy involving the prison, etc.....maybe.

https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Jesslyn_Rich

Just watched this one again and hit up the UM Wiki page for it (see the link Latka Graves posted).

The family seems to have tunnel vision here - just like the family members of people who committed suicide (who cling to the belief their loved one couldn't have killed themselves)

The perp in question didn't make a vague confession, he was rather specific and detailed. Absent serious mental illness or some kind of psychosis, why would someone on their deathbed make up and actually *share* such a disturbing and detailed story?

Also, if the perp's family had any doubts whatsoever about his story, I don't think they would waste their time going to the authorities and passing it on, especially 2 years after he died.

I get that there was a lot of controversy around and corruption within Frontera. I also get that no, there is nothing physical or *concrete* that connects this guy to the murder. Look at it through Occam's Razor though - what is the simplest explanation......Jesslyn becoming involved in some conspiracy and dying because of it?? Or falling victim to a random predator who worked at a bar she happened to frequent??

Just watched this one again and hit up the UM Wiki page for it (see the link Latka Graves posted).

The family seems to have tunnel vision here - just like the family members of people who committed suicide (who cling to the belief their loved one couldn't have killed themselves)

The perp in question didn't make a vague confession, he was rather specific and detailed. Absent serious mental illness or some kind of psychosis, why would someone on their deathbed make up and actually *share* such a disturbing and detailed story?

Also, if the perp's family had any doubts whatsoever about his story, I don't think they would waste their time going to the authorities and passing it on, especially 2 years after he died.

I get that there was a lot of controversy around and corruption within Frontera. I also get that no, there is nothing physical or *concrete* that connects this guy to the murder. Look at it through Occam's Razor though - what is the simplest explanation......Jesslyn becoming involved in some conspiracy and dying because of it?? Or falling victim to a random predator who worked at a bar she happened to frequent??

In order for a confession to be credible, it has to contain information known only to law enforcement.

I have no problem believing there are illegal acitivities done by prison staff, but Betty Thompson's story was complete BS. Perhaps she was looking for attention or out for revenge.