Rick Godfrey Murder: In April 2015, Rick Godfrey, 39, was murdered in Phelan, California, as recounted in the Investigation Discovery series “Murder in the Wicked West: Cowboy Conman.” In December 2015, around eight months later, his body was recovered in Llano.
Two suspects were detained for Rick’s murder, however, one was later freed due to insufficient evidence. Here is all we currently know about the case, including the identity and whereabouts of the perpetrator or perpetrators.
How Did Rick Godfrey Die?
On February 28, 1977, in New York, Allan Frederick “Rick” Godfrey Jr. was presented to the world. As depicted in the show, he trained horses and resigned from the rodeo circuit at an early age, so it’s safe to assume he had a fascination with the Wild West.
As described in the episode, Rick’s antics earned him a reputation as a ladies’ man as he traveled from western town to western town. Soon after settling in Phelan, the charismatic and skilled horseman began working for Dale Cecil Brewster and Debbie Harris on their ranch.
He kept his dog, Zip, in a small trailer on the property and enjoyed mingling with his landlords’ farm animals. Allan Godfrey Sr. affectionately recalled his kid as Cowboy. He was comfortable in the rodeo arena.
He felt this to be exciting. There, his affections resided. In April 2015, the 39-year-old was apparently dating Lisa Simonsen when he disappeared during the weekend. Rick was using Dale’s truck to help Lisa move furnishings on April 17th.
However, he had to return the borrowed truck to his residence on the same day he planned to visit his lover. On the other side, he never returned or attempted to contact Lisa again.
Allan Sr. reported his son missing on April 18, 2015, at 9 p.m., when he was unable to contact him. The cops investigated every potential lead but were unable to locate Rick.
Trevor Thompson spotted a human leg bone on December 18 near the intersection of 228th Street and Fort Tejon Road while riding his dirt bike through Llano, a large town in the high desert.
He stated that there was a couch above the tomb. Clearly, the animals had dug up whoever had been there. The police uncovered a face-down body in a shallow grave upon their arrival.
The victim’s hands were chained behind their backs, and duct tape was put around their head. Police utilized Allan SrDNA .’s samples to corroborate the discovery of Rick’s body. An autopsy confirmed that strangling caused death.
Who Murdered Rick Godfrey?
After receiving the missing person report, police questioned Lisa Simonsen, Rick’s girlfriend, regarding the last time she saw him. She said to the police that Rick became “extremely irritated” after receiving Dale’s SMS requesting the prompt return of his truck.
She reported that she and Rick had a minor argument and that Rick had to drive back two hours to return the car. After interviewing Dale, the detectives discovered a suspicious and unexpected discovery.
According to Deputy District Attorney Justin Cocker, Dale allegedly informed police that he and Rick engaged in a violent altercation following Rick’s return. Dale stated that Rick jumped his fence after the event, and he has not seen or heard from him since.
READ MORE Who is Amie Donald: Introducing Amie Donald – The Rising Star of ‘M3GAN’
He informed the officers that he had already reported the event to the Sheriff’s office. On his 911 call, he can be heard stating, “We had a fistfight. I beat Rick like the living hell out of him.
Dale reported that Laura Vasquez, his neighbor, initially complained to him about Rick stealing hundreds of dollars and a bracelet from her. Dale stated that this was the reason he became so angry with his employee and ordered him to leave his property immediately, which allegedly developed into a physical brawl.
Witnessed Rick informed detectives that he sustained a head injury while scaling his fence and then fled in the direction of the desert. The police were concerned that Rick was lying somewhere gravely injured and in need of immediate medical attention.
They gathered during Laura’s statement that Rick was her business partner and had even resided in her home for a while and that he was even her roommate. Despite the fact that Laura’s $25,000 loan was a significant motive for the crime, the investigators ruled her out as a suspect.
READ MORE What Became of Dax Tejera… Was He Murdered? Understand the Vaccination Debate
Laura told the police that she had told Dale about the supposed affair between Rick and Debbie, which could have angered Dale’s partner. However, Rick’s friends refused to accept that he had left without taking his dog or anything else of worth.
The cops were unable to locate Rick because he had shut off his phone. A few days later, the police learned through Rick’s landlords that he may have returned for his dog, Zip, further complicated the investigation.
The authorities also identified multiple messages on Rick’s social media accounts applauding his kidnapping and attributing it to his promiscuity. The deputies attempted to investigate every possible lead that came from his social media activities, but without success.
Dale became the prime suspect upon the finding of Rick’s body, which made him the prime suspect. Police investigations discovered that Dale had been convicted of assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence against his ex-wife in 1991.
When police arrived at Debbie’s ranch for additional questioning, they discovered that she and her husband had abandoned their belongings and fled the area.