YAVAPAI COUNTY, Ariz. — A 15-year-old cold case has seemingly been closed after a jury found the main suspect guilty of murder, theft and identity fraud, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said.
The jury found 59-year-old Oregon resident Anthony Richards guilty of the charges in a hearing on Thursday, the sheriff's office said. The ruling closes the case that stemmed from the April 2007 disappearance of Larry Powers.
Powers and Richards were long-time acquaintances and business partners who had a mining claim near Bagdad, deputies said. Powers went missing after the two used Powers's credit card to purchase equipment.
Powers's credit card was then used repeatedly in the Bagdad area, California and Oregon near where Richards had lived and traveled, the office said.
The case was cold until deputies located Powers's remains near the area where the two camped.
Richards is facing a minimum of 16 years in the Arizona State Prison, deputies said. Sentencing is scheduled for May 16.
This is a developing story. Tune into 12 News for the latest information.
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Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.