Buried Treasure Scheme Allegedly Used by Suspected Serial Killer in Washington State
Richard Bradley Jr., suspected serial killer in Washington, faces new murder charges after allegedly luring victims with promise of buried treasure. Victims targeted after coming into money.
A suspected serial killer in Washington state, Richard Bradley Jr., has been hit with new murder charges after it was revealed that he allegedly lured his victims with the promise of helping him dig up buried treasure. Bradley, who has been awaiting trial for the murder of 44-year-old Brandi Blake since his arrest in 2021, is now facing additional charges in the deaths of three more people, one of whom was identified from ribs found buried on Bradley’s 160-acre Game Farm Park in Auburn, matched to his mother using DNA. Prosecutors claim that all four victims were targeted by Bradley after they came into money and were enticed by his tale of buried gold in a wooded area of his farm.
He allegedly killed his victims, stole their possessions, including their cars, and then drove around in them. The alleged scheme came to light in murder charges filed this month in connection with the death of another victim, Emilio Maturin, who was last seen alive in July 2019, as well as in the deaths of Michael Goeman, 59, and his son Vance Lakey. Goeman had received a substantial inheritance just before he and his son were killed. According to court documents, Maturin's girlfriend heard Bradley telling him that he needed help digging up some buried gold and despite his skepticism, Maturin went to visit Bradley with a pound of heroin and $15,000 in cash.
He never returned and his girlfriend tracked his phone to Bradley’s farm where police later spotted his parked BMW. Bradley was arrested after a car and foot chase. Bradley is scheduled to stand trial next month in the death of Brandi Blake and now faces a total of two counts of premeditated first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and second-degree arson. He has not yet entered a plea for the new charges. Bradley has been charged with second-degree murder and arson, among other charges, and is being held at King County Correctional Facility. The sudden and tragic loss of Brandi Blake has left friends and family devastated. A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover expenses for her memorial service.