FBI joins investigation of cliff fall death
FBI joins investigation of cliff fall death
By JOHN PEPIN, Journal Munising Bureau
MUNISING — Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation have joined an investigation into the death of a downstate McBain woman who dropped nearly 200 feet to her death off Pictured Rocks cliffs last month.
Juanita Richardson, 43, died on June 22 after plummeting from a cliff ledge about a quarter-mile southwest of Miners Castle. Her husband, Thomas Richardson, 44, ran to a visitor center at the park to report the incident.
Since that time, police have been trying to gain a greater understanding into the events surrounding Richardson’s death.
“The FBI is involved,” said Steve Blank, lead investigator on the case with the Alger County Sheriff’s Department. “They are assisting the Alger County Sheriff’s Department by interviewing people in McBain and surrounding areas.”
Blank said the FBI is primarily involved because the incident occurred on federal property under jurisdiction of the National Park Service at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The federal investigators also have extensive resources available.
At least some of the agents involved in the investigation are from FBI offices located in Sault Ste. Marie and Traverse City.
Last Wednesday, sheriff’s deputies and park rangers discovered Richardson’s right shoe, which had been missing since the fall. The left shoe was found on the day of her death. A county deputy spotted the shoe down the cliff face from where Richardson fell.
Local investigators returned Sunday from four days of interviews downstate with numerous people, including some Richardson family members. Many of the interviews were conducted at the Missaukee County Sheriff’s Department offices.
Deputies announced today they have put together a task force, including Upper Peninsula and downstate agencies, to continue investigating the incident.
“We’ve got a team together working to investigate what happened out there,” Blank said.
That task force includes the FBI, National Park Service, Michigan State Police and county sheriff’s deputies from Alger, Missaukee and neighboring Wexford counties.
Police have not characterized the incident as either accidental nor suspicious, saying only that they are continuing to investigate the death.
Meanwhile, Thomas Richardson has retained an attorney and is directing law enforcement questions to that Cadillac area legal counselor’s office.
Funeral services for Juanita Richardson were held downstate over the weekend.
Previous page: An American family, an American holiday
Next page: A picture of the rocks