In 1982, the life of 55-year-old Dorothy Richards was tragically cut short in Houma, Louisiana. For years, the circumstances surrounding her death remained a painful mystery. It was not until the fall of 2018 that a grim resolution began to emerge, casting a dark shadow from the past. The truth came from an unlikely source: a man already imprisoned for other heinous crimes, who began to confess to a staggering number of unsolved murders across the United States.
The suspect was Samuel
Little, a man whose name would eventually be synonymous with the term 'prolific serial killer.' While in custody for other murders, Little began to recount a litany of killings spanning decades and numerous states. Among his many confessions was the murder of Dorothy Richards. He admitted to taking her life in 1982, and his confession matched the details of her body being discovered in Houma.
Little's confessions were part of a larger investigation by the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, which worked to verify his claims and close long-standing cold cases. His admission in the death of Dorothy Richards brought a long-awaited, albeit somber, answer to the question of who was responsible for her murder. Little was ultimately convicted of eight murders and confessed to a total of 93, with authorities confirming his involvement in at least 60, making him one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. He died in prison in December 2020.
