Former businessman Richard Wall Sr charged with murder of lawyer Jeffrey Tidus
Richard Wall Sr. is also charged with the murder of a former employee who filed a lawsuit against Wall’s company, Welded Fixtures.
LOS ANGELES:- Richard Wall Sr., the alleged mastermind behind the 2009 killing of attorney Jeffrey Tidus outside his Rolling Hills Estates home, has been charged with murder. He is also a suspect in a separate homicide.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said, “When Richard Wall Senior lost lawsuits, instead of appealing the verdicts, he allegedly decided to kill those who opposed him in court.”
“The families of these two victims have been waiting for over 15 years to get justice they thought may never materialize. These were vicious and callous murders that we believe came at the behest of Mr. Wall who thought killing two people would end his legal problems. Such allegedly ruthless decision-making has landed Mr. Wall in far worse shape now.”
Richard Wall Sr. was charged with two counts each of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the case, which also includes multiple murders under special circumstances, waiting for financial gain and murder. He appeared in court today for a statement.
According to the criminal complaint, in 2007, Tidus, 53, won a $1.7 million settlement against a close friend of Wall’s, who allegedly wanted to kill Tidus and hired an unknown person to carry out the actual killing.
On December 7, 2009, a co-conspirator is accused of informing Wall about the shooting and killing of Tidus outside his home.
In the second murder, Juan Mendez, 35, worked for Wall and filed a lawsuit alleging that he had not been paid overtime for his work. In January 2011, Mendez prevailed and received $300,000.
According to the complaint, Wall is accused of hiring and paying a man to help him kill Mendez before the verdict was finalized. On February 26, 2011, the co-conspirator went to Mendez’s apartment in Whittier, knocked on the door, and shot him dead in front of his children when he opened it. After being shot, Mendez tried to run away but was killed.
But on March 7, 2011, Mendez’s case was dismissed before the verdict was final.
Wall was extradited from Montenegro, where he was being investigated on charges of conspiracy to flee. If convicted as charged, Wall faces up to life in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Hillary Williams and Brian Kang of the Major Crimes Division and is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Whittier Police Department.
