Police: Cellphone data helped investigators solve slaying of an Evansville firefighter

EVANSVILLE − The wife of slain Evansville firefighter Robert Doerr and another person have been charged with murder in connection with Doerr's 2019 death.

Evansville police announced the arrests of Larry Richmond Sr. and Elizabeth Fox-Doerr, both of whom are currently jailed, during a news conference Thursday afternoon. They're both charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder after Doerr was found shot outside his residence in the 2700 block of Oakley Street on Feb. 26, 2019.

Richmond Sr. has been incarcerated for federal guns charges since 2019. Elizabeth Fox-Doerr was arrested July 12 on a perjury charge. Richmond Sr. was previously sentenced to 45 years in prison after shooting and killing 70-year-old James Everett Montgomery in 1996. He was released less than a year before Doerr was killed.

“We are relieved to have an update in this case," EPD spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Gray said Thursday. Neither EPD nor the Evansville Fire Department took questions from reporters.

Cellphone location data key to arrest

Investigators did, however, release a probable-cause affidavit against both Fox-Doerr and Richmond Sr. That provided previously unknown details as to what happened the night of the shooting and how the investigation unfolded.

It finally took a turn in June 2021 thanks to extracted cell phone data that allegedly put Richmond Sr. near Doerr's home at the time of the shooting.

According to the affidavit, investigators recovered more than 42,000 files from Richmond Sr.'s iPhone, including 15 location hits in a 67-meter cluster surrounding Doerr's Oakley Street residence. The location data also reportedly shows Richmond Sr. driving away from the Doerr residence after the shooting.

In July of this year, prosecutors convened a grand jury to review the evidence against Richmond Sr. and Fox-Doerr. According to the affidavit, Richmond Sr. denied killing Doerr, and Fox-Doerr allegedly made false statements while under oath, leading to her arrest in July on perjury charges.

The shooting and a deleted call

According to the affidavits, Doerr was shot at least three times in his driveway as he exited his truck after coming home from a 12-hour shift with the fire department.

No nearby residents heard anything suspicious before or after the shots were fired, and no vehicles or people were seen fleeing from the scene. After the shooting, Fox-Doerr claimed she was the only one at the home.

However, she was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with obstruction of justice after police alleged she had deleted a phone call she'd placed prior to calling 911 on the night of the murder. That charge was later dropped.

In the affidavit, detectives confirmed the deleted call was between Fox-Doerr and Richmond Sr. According to cell phone logs they extracted from both suspects' phones, the two spoke for about five minutes right before the shooting.

A later extraction of Richmond Sr.'s phone also showed he used a police scanner app minutes before Doerr was killed. He allegedly checked the scanner again nine minutes after the shooting, and was also reportedly captured on gas station surveillance footage near the scene of the shooting six minutes after it was reported.

When police asked Fox-Doerr about the deleted call, she initially claimed she didn't remember it. But when police connected the number to Richmond Sr., she then said she didn't mention it because she knew he'd been in trouble before.

Fox-Doerr also said she didn't want police to think she was having an affair with Richmond Sr. However, investigators reportedly found a letter written by Doerr at the house the night of the shooting that hinted at possible infidelity by Fox-Doerr.

Richmond's son, Larry Richmond Jr., also reportedly told police that he'd once seen Fox-Doerr and Richmond Sr. kissing outside the Doerr home.

The gun

According to the affidavit, Doerr's autopsy revealed he'd been shot with a distinctive mix of ammunition: a .45-caliber bullet and buckshot.

Police later determined he was likely shot with a Taurus Judge revolver: the same type of gun that Larry Richmond Jr., was accused of stealing from River City Pawn Pawnbrokers, where he worked, in August 2018. The Taurus Judge is capable of firing bullets and shotgun shells.

In 2019, while speaking with investigators, Larry Richmond Jr., consented to having his cell phone searched, where detectives reportedly found a picture of a Taurus Judge. Richmond Jr. told police he'd given the stolen gun to his father within days of the theft, the affidavit states.

The Richmonds later pleaded guilty to federal firearms charges after a neighbor's surveillance camera reportedly captured Richmond Sr. burying a bag of guns with altered serial numbers on his property. The Taurus wasn't among them.

But while Richmond Sr. was incarcerated on those charges, a prison informant reportedly told police that Richmond Sr. confided in him about killing Doerr and the alleged affair with Fox-Doerr.

'A son, a brother, a father, a grandfather'

At the news conference, EPD Chief Billy Bolin said the announcement of charges was "the first step in seeing some kind of justice for Robbie."

EFD spokesman Mike Larson thanked Evansville police for following every lead "no matter how big or how small."

"It's because of that dedication to finding the truth that brought us to today's announcement," Larson said. "He was a son, a brother, a father and grandfather. His brothers and sisters in this department were robbed that night. We are relieved the long wait is over and individuals are being brought to justice."

For Larry Wildt, the charges announced on Thursday morning brought a combination of happiness and disappointment. Wildt said Doerr's father died within the last year.

"(I'm) happy progress is being made, but disappointed Bob’s dad didn’t get a chance to see the outcome," Wildt said. "He would be pleased to know we are making progress toward some closure."

Doerr, 51 at the time of his death, spent 28 years on the Evansville Fire Department. Wildt worked with Doerr for his entire career at Station 1, and describes Doerr as his best friend.

Doerr is remembered by Wildt as a dedicated firefighter, a man of good humor and a good cook.

"Everyone loved his meatloaf," Wildt said.

Doerr received a Silver Merit award for his actions during a Jan. 6, 2003, fire at a four-story apartment building in Downtown Evansville.

During Doerr's memorial service following his death, Fire Chief Mike Connelly said Doerr "wore his badge with pride and dignity. His legacy of integrity is what the foundation of this department is built upon."

In addition to Evansville Police, the investigation involved the FBI, Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office and the Vanderburgh County Cyber Crimes Task Force.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Two face murder charges in the 2019 death of Evansville firefighter