Richard Church - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

synthisislab · 05-04-2008, 11:32 PM

Is he still serving a life sentence and in Illinois does that mean life?

He was convicted of murdering Ray and Ruthanne Ritter and stabbing their daughter, who he dated and was infatuated with. After the murders he split town and was found in Salt Lake. When was he picked up there? How long after the murders was he on the run and was he found shortly after the UM segment? And wasn't this case featured on AMW as well?

DarkDante · 05-05-2008, 01:05 AM

He's still in jail - They captured him I believe working at a fast food resturant. I believe he struck a deal and got a life sentence without the possibility of parole in exchange for prosecutors not seeking the death penalty.

I know a lot of the cases on UM are tragic and senseless but this one is so senseless with a young man with his whole life ahead of him flying off the handle and throwing his whole life away because he got into a fight with his ex-girlfriend. You can say Richard Church had mental issues and I understand that but from the segment it seemed that he certainly wasn't so far gone with his problems (his parents divorce, other insecurities, the breakup with Colleen) that he couldn't turn his life around.

Just senseless.

synthisislab · 05-05-2008, 03:13 AM

So how long after fleeing did he get away and didn't he get captured because of the UM segment? How long after the initial UM segment aired was he caught?

And yes, this was completely senseless and I'm glad they caught someone that psychotic.

Kane · 05-05-2008, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by synthisislab

So how long after fleeing did he get away and didn't he get captured because of the UM segment? How long after the initial UM segment aired was he caught?

The segment aired in November 1990. Richard Church was on the run from the time of the murders in August 1988 until he was caught in early 1992, so his capture may not have directly resulted from the broadcast of the UM segment. He pled guilty to the murders in July 1992, less than four years after the crime.

Briony Coote · 09-22-2008, 11:52 PM

He was working at a fast food joint when he was recognised by a policeman. This probably had more to do with his picture being plastered everywhere than the UM segment. Up until then he had eluded capture because he disappeared into some underground cult. If I remember correctly, he remained on the run for three years.

It would be interesting to know how he feels about what he did. If he went crazy, was there ever a psychiatric report done on him? So stupid that he ruined his life, ruined his parents' lives (to say nothing of the Ritters') and made himself a murderer, all because of a breakup with his girlfriend (and his parents getting divorced). I wonder if there was anything that could have been done to help him before it was too late.

So sad. I'm not sorry for him, mind you. I'm just sad that he threw his life away, became a murderer and ruined the lives of the Ritter family - and all for what - that he just couldn't accept it was over with Colleen and he was upset with his parents' separation?

Obi Wan · 03-04-2009, 10:45 AM

I just looked up his inmate status and this is what I found.

He got life plus 2 30 years sentences.
Looks like life means life in IL.
Here is his info in case anyone cares to look it up. B35542 - CHURCH, RICHARD J.
There is a picture and conviction information there.

Copied from web site. Bold is mine

Some inmates convicted of non-violent crimes must spend 50% of their sentences incarcerated. Others who are convicted of violent crimes must spend 85% of their sentences incarcerated under "truth in sentencing" laws, or 100% if convicted of murder. The inmate's release date is based on the custody date of the crime which is set by the sentencing court.

zack007attack · 09-22-2009, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by synthisislab

Is he still serving a life sentence and in Illinois does that mean life?

He was convicted of murdering Ray and Ruthanne Ritter and stabbing their daughter, who he dated and was infatuated with. After the murders he split town and was found in Salt Lake. When was he picked up there? How long after the murders was he on the run and was he found shortly after the UM segment? And wasn't this case featured on AMW as well?

According to the inmate query from the Illinois Department of Corrections inmate database, this is what he got:

Taken into custody in November 1991 (he was on the run for 3 years), and sentenced in August of 1992 and received: a life sentence for murder, 30 years for attempted murder, and 30 years for the home invasion.

kadrmas15 · 09-23-2009, 04:42 AM

Yes folks, in Illinois, if you were convicted of a murder AND sentenced to life after 1978, life means life without parole. Church barring a successful appeal or clemency from the Governor is not going anywhere.

lilmissd · 09-23-2009, 11:09 AM

I definitely think Mr. Church just couldn't handle his life and went off the deep end. Too many bad things happened to him in a short period of time and I think it just overloaded his brain circuits. I'm not making excuses for him; when things like this happen, I try to figure out the person' motivations for doing what they did. It helps me from getting sad or depressed over people and their actions. I think if he would have just stopped and thought about what he was doing, he wouldn't have done it; but obviously he was not in his right mind.

Mastermind · 09-23-2009, 12:41 PM

Quote:

I definitely think Mr. Church just couldn't handle his life and went off the deep end. Too many bad things happened to him in a short period of time and I think it just overloaded his brain circuits. I'm not making excuses for him; when things like this happen, I try to figure out the person' motivations for doing what they did. It helps me from getting sad or depressed over people and their actions. I think if he would have just stopped and thought about what he was doing, he wouldn't have done it; but obviously he was not in his right mind.

The sad thing is that, I think if you asked Richard about why he did what he did....he probably couldn't remember any of it or give you a rational for his action.

Richard Church was a typical crime of passion. A "quick flash or raging red anger" cultivated by internal insecurities, a broken heart and basic stupidity.

What makes Richard Church's case so scary is that there is really no defense or prevention for it. Unless your never going to enter a relationship ever again or lock yourself in your closet.

WishfulDreamer · 09-28-2009, 02:42 PM

What was also so frightening was that there was no reasoning with him. Colleen mentioned in the interview that she tried talking to him, playing dead, pretending she still loved him- ANYTHING to get him to stop, but he was just on a rampage, completely out of his mind. I always get chills when RS says, "Rick never spoke. He began to stab Colleen." When someone is that enraged, there's no stopping them.
I wonder how Colleen is doing today.

mattc · 09-28-2009, 10:25 PM

This was a sad, tragic case. I will say that I always found it somewhat odd how removed from the tragedy Colleen seemed to be on the segment. I know it's probably her way of dealing, but it just seemed like she was telling a story about someone else, and not herself. Anybody else notice that?

Mastermind · 09-29-2009, 11:04 AM

1.Keep in mind that it is a TV show. What we are looking at are takes that the editor and director chose when editing the segment. So for all we know there were some moments were she broked down and seemed more emotional, but for times sake and for production they were cut. We also don't know that she was crying and falling apart before the segment was shooting and just composed herself in front of the camera. Also keep in mind that she's not an actor and probably is extrememly nervous being in front of the camera.

2. The more I learn about human behavior, the more I began to realize that there are a lot of people who just simply don't show their emotions viusually. From the ball player, that treats a world series win like he just one a typical game. To a survivor of 9-11, who seems more bored than exhaulted. People just don't always show their emotions. This is what makes profiling and interviewing suspects so difficult. a quadruple murderer could seem like he just came back from the bathroom, or he can act like an emotional wreck.

TracyLynnS · 09-29-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattc

This was a sad, tragic case. I will say that I always found it somewhat odd how removed from the tragedy Colleen seemed to be on the segment. I know it's probably her way of dealing, but it just seemed like she was telling a story about someone else, and not herself. Anybody else notice that?

Yep, that stood out to me from the very beginning as unusual. I figured that a few years had passed between the murders and her interview (but was it really a few years? I don't know) and that was why she seemed a bit distant instead of distraught.

Also, Mastermind has some good insight as to why she would appear to be unemotional on camera. I know that if I were in such a situation, I would be so nervous that I would probably incriminate myself, even though I was actually the victim.

browneyes106 · 09-29-2009, 06:53 PM

Rick Church will probably never get out of prison. I hope Collen is doing well today despite her past.

05-04-2008, 11:32 PM	#1
synthisislab Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 552	Richard Church Is he still serving a life sentence and in Illinois does that mean life? He was convicted of murdering Ray and Ruthanne Ritter and stabbing their daughter, who he dated and was infatuated with. After the murders he split town and was found in Salt Lake. When was he picked up there? How long after the murders was he on the run and was he found shortly after the UM segment? And wasn't this case featured on AMW as well?

09-22-2008, 11:52 PM	#5
Briony Coote Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 27, 2007 Posts: 342	He was working at a fast food joint when he was recognised by a policeman. This probably had more to do with his picture being plastered everywhere than the UM segment. Up until then he had eluded capture because he disappeared into some underground cult. If I remember correctly, he remained on the run for three years. It would be interesting to know how he feels about what he did. If he went crazy, was there ever a psychiatric report done on him? So stupid that he ruined his life, ruined his parents' lives (to say nothing of the Ritters') and made himself a murderer, all because of a breakup with his girlfriend (and his parents getting divorced). I wonder if there was anything that could have been done to help him before it was too late. So sad. I'm not sorry for him, mind you. I'm just sad that he threw his life away, became a murderer and ruined the lives of the Ritter family - and all for what - that he just couldn't accept it was over with Colleen and he was upset with his parents' separation?
	Last edited by Briony Coote; 02-21-2009 at 04:41 AM.

03-04-2009, 10:45 AM	#6
Obi Wan Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 30, 2009 Location: New Mexico Posts: 65	I just looked up his inmate status and this is what I found. He got life plus 2 30 years sentences. Looks like life means life in IL. Here is his info in case anyone cares to look it up. B35542 - CHURCH, RICHARD J. There is a picture and conviction information there. Copied from web site. Bold is mine Some inmates convicted of non-violent crimes must spend 50% of their sentences incarcerated. Others who are convicted of violent crimes must spend 85% of their sentences incarcerated under "truth in sentencing" laws, or 100% if convicted of murder. The inmate's release date is based on the custody date of the crime which is set by the sentencing court.
	__________________ UM Fan Forever

05-05-2008, 01:05 AM	#2
DarkDante Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1,569	He's still in jail - They captured him I believe working at a fast food resturant. I believe he struck a deal and got a life sentence without the possibility of parole in exchange for prosecutors not seeking the death penalty. I know a lot of the cases on UM are tragic and senseless but this one is so senseless with a young man with his whole life ahead of him flying off the handle and throwing his whole life away because he got into a fight with his ex-girlfriend. You can say Richard Church had mental issues and I understand that but from the segment it seemed that he certainly wasn't so far gone with his problems (his parents divorce, other insecurities, the breakup with Colleen) that he couldn't turn his life around. Just senseless.

05-05-2008, 03:13 AM	#3
synthisislab Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 552	So how long after fleeing did he get away and didn't he get captured because of the UM segment? How long after the initial UM segment aired was he caught? And yes, this was completely senseless and I'm glad they caught someone that psychotic.

09-23-2009, 04:42 AM	#8
kadrmas15 Retired from Board 03/03/11 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,910	Yes folks, in Illinois, if you were convicted of a murder AND sentenced to life after 1978, life means life without parole. Church barring a successful appeal or clemency from the Governor is not going anywhere.

09-23-2009, 11:09 AM	#9
lilmissd Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 28, 2007 Location: AZ Posts: 172	I definitely think Mr. Church just couldn't handle his life and went off the deep end. Too many bad things happened to him in a short period of time and I think it just overloaded his brain circuits. I'm not making excuses for him; when things like this happen, I try to figure out the person' motivations for doing what they did. It helps me from getting sad or depressed over people and their actions. I think if he would have just stopped and thought about what he was doing, he wouldn't have done it; but obviously he was not in his right mind.

09-28-2009, 02:42 PM	#11
WishfulDreamer Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2009 Location: L.A. Posts: 3,868	What was also so frightening was that there was no reasoning with him. Colleen mentioned in the interview that she tried talking to him, playing dead, pretending she still loved him- ANYTHING to get him to stop, but he was just on a rampage, completely out of his mind. I always get chills when RS says, "Rick never spoke. He began to stab Colleen." When someone is that enraged, there's no stopping them. I wonder how Colleen is doing today.

09-28-2009, 10:25 PM	#12
mattc Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 16, 2008 Location: Virginia Posts: 273	This was a sad, tragic case. I will say that I always found it somewhat odd how removed from the tragedy Colleen seemed to be on the segment. I know it's probably her way of dealing, but it just seemed like she was telling a story about someone else, and not herself. Anybody else notice that?

09-29-2009, 11:04 AM	#13
Mastermind Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 16, 2008 Posts: 1,843	1.Keep in mind that it is a TV show. What we are looking at are takes that the editor and director chose when editing the segment. So for all we know there were some moments were she broked down and seemed more emotional, but for times sake and for production they were cut. We also don't know that she was crying and falling apart before the segment was shooting and just composed herself in front of the camera. Also keep in mind that she's not an actor and probably is extrememly nervous being in front of the camera. 2. The more I learn about human behavior, the more I began to realize that there are a lot of people who just simply don't show their emotions viusually. From the ball player, that treats a world series win like he just one a typical game. To a survivor of 9-11, who seems more bored than exhaulted. People just don't always show their emotions. This is what makes profiling and interviewing suspects so difficult. a quadruple murderer could seem like he just came back from the bathroom, or he can act like an emotional wreck.

09-29-2009, 06:53 PM	#15
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,094	Rick Church will probably never get out of prison. I hope Collen is doing well today despite her past.