On the afternoon of December 9, 2024, police in Toledo, Ohio, were dispatched to a field near the intersection of Castle Boulevard and Maplewood Avenue. At approximately 2:27 p.m., they discovered the body of Robert Richardson Jr. Mr. Richardson was a 56-year-old White man. An autopsy performed by the Lucas County Coroner’s Office later determined that his death was a homicide.
The coroner found that Mr. Richardson had died from a single gunshot wound to his left upper arm.
The shot caused catastrophic internal injuries, including damage to both of his lungs, his aorta, and his spine. The subsequent police investigation revealed that Mr. Richardson had been killed nearly a week before his body was found.
According to charging documents, he was shot on December 3, 2024, during an argument with another man in the side yard of a residence. After the shooting, his body was moved from the yard to the nearby field where it was later discovered. On December 13, authorities arrested 64-year-old John Vassel in connection with the killing.
Following his arrest, Vassel was declared incompetent to stand trial and was placed in the Northwest Ohio Behavioral hospital for treatment. Once he was deemed competent, the legal proceedings continued. On March 30, 2025, Vassel pleaded no contest to charges of involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, possession, and a gun violation. He was subsequently sentenced to a maximum of 25 years in prison, with eligibility for parole after serving 20 years. The plea and sentencing in March 2025 brought the case to its legal conclusion.
