Missing 38-year-old found dead, NC cops say. Accused killer charged in 2 other deaths
A missing 38-year-old’s body was found, and the man accused of killing him is also charged in two other deaths, North Carolina officials said.
A month ago, the Greensboro Police Department said it learned about the disappearance of James Devon Goolsby. After he was reported missing on March 22, investigators say they suspected foul play.
Then on April 14, a tip led investigators to Goolsby’s remains. Police said he was found dead in Henry County, Virginia, which sits along the North Carolina border roughly 50 miles north of Greensboro.
A person of interest in the case — John Richardson — was charged with first-degree murder. He also had faced that same charge in the deaths of two other people — 40-year-old Mark Anthony Gilbert Jr. and 46-year-old Michael A. Hemphill — according to authorities.
The Greensboro Police Department in a news release didn’t list attorney information for Richardson. The 53-year-old Greensboro resident is being held in the Guilford County jail.
Gilbert died after he was found injured in March, and Hemphill was shot in January. A second person, Jonathan Murphy, was also arrested in Hemphill’s death, officials said.
In addition to the murder charges, Richardson is charged with “concealment of death, dismember/destroy human remains, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and possession of firearm by felon,” police wrote.
No additional details about the three deaths were shared by police but they said a homicide investigation was ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000 or use the P3tips website or mobile application.
This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 2:23 PM.
