In the late afternoon of August 6, 2022, the body of 26-year-old Rebecca Marie Richardson was discovered in the Fern Creek neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. A female, she was found on Ferndale Road at approximately 6:30 p.m. The Jefferson County Coroner's Office later confirmed that her death was a result of a gunshot wound. Richardson was a mother, leaving behind a young son.
The Louisville Metro Police Department's Homicide Unit immediately launched an investigation into
Richardson's death. Their search for answers soon led them to a suspect, Christopher Dawes of Bardstown, Kentucky. However, the investigation took a dark turn when Dawes was found deceased in Bardstown the day after Richardson's body was discovered.
Authorities with the Nelson County Sheriff's Office investigated Dawes' death and determined it to be a suicide. During their investigation, they uncovered evidence that connected Dawes to Richardson's death. After a collaborative effort and testing of the evidence by both the Nelson County Sheriff's Office and the Louisville Metro Police Department, it was concluded that Dawes was responsible for Richardson's murder. With the suspect deceased, the Louisville Metro Police Department closed the case.
