JOYCE — The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office procured a search warrant for Kevin Richter’s bank transaction records while friends continued a fruitless search for the 32-year-old man on Wednesday.
Richter was reported missing from his home near Crescent Beach Road in the Joyce area a week ago, last Thursday.
Some 30 of his friends continued on Wednesday the search of the area near his home that was begun last week by family, friends and Clallam County deputies, said Chief Criminal Deputy Brian King of the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office is seeking Richter’s bank transaction records to see if there has been activity since he was reported missing.
“We know his history prior, but not since,” King said.
“If there has been activity since, then we would know he’s OK.”
As of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, the bank had not responded, King said.
A family friend reported Richter missing at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, saying he had left his home despondent. He is suspected to have been in possession of a handgun, King said in a press release issued late Tuesday.
“There is some suspicion he may have been planning to disappear … to leave and not be found,” King said during an interview, adding that Richter also is suspected to have been in a mental health crisis when he left.
He is not believed to be a danger to others.
“He’s never harmed anyone,” King said.
Richter — a skilled outdoorsman, according to King — is believed to have been wearing a camouflage sweatshirt and Carhartt blue jeans when he left his home. He is described as standing 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds. He has blue eyes, brown hair and a beard.
Richter’s motives for leaving his home were unclear.
He had withdrawn funds from his bank account, made some bank transfers and had researched websites on his cell phone that provided information on undetected travel and outdoor survival, King said.
His cell phone and bike were found by a family member Friday morning, King said.
Sheriff’s investigators, using cellular phone analysis and mapping software, identified an area in timberlands south of the 1000 block of Crescent Beach Road where Richter’s cell phone was last known to be active and communicating with local cell towers, King said in the release.
Deputies searched the area into the evening and were unable to locate Richter.
The situation and uncertainties prevented the deputies from using volunteers in the search.
The sheriff’s office is asking for help from the public now because the original search area already has been searched well, and deputies need more information, King said.
“The sheriff’s office is unable to use citizen volunteers in our efforts to locate Richter and are utilizing other investigative means to determine his whereabouts,” according to the press release.
Anyone with information as to Richter’s whereabouts is asked to call sheriff’s dispatchers at 360-417-2459.
________
Executive Editor Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3530 or at lleach@peninsuladailynews.com.
