Together they beat, tortured and burned Air Force veteran Cordell Richards to inside an inch of his lifestyles earlier than returning day after today to complete him off with a meat cleaver.
But even as Ronald Bell and Kristel Maestas will probably die at the back of bars for the ‘unspeakable’ slaying, the 1/3 member in their evil trio is playing a snug middle-magnificence lifestyles in a Florida suburb, DailyMail.com can monitor.
Minister’s son Bell and previous female friend Maestas had been elderly 17 and sixteen respectively once they abducted and butchered Richards withinside the Panhandle metropolis of Fort Walton Beach in February 1999.
Accomplice Renee Lincks – tied father-of- Richards to a tree and took turns in battering him with a baseball bat – on the age of 15.
But even as the older teenagers had been convicted of first diploma homicide and jailed for lifestyles, Lincks turned into capable of plead no contest to fees of manslaughter and fake imprisonment in go back for attesting towards them.
The most sentence turned into 15 years and Lincks could in the end serve simply 12 in a medium protection jail.
Renee Lincks, 36, turned into sentenced to fifteen years in jail for the homicide of Air Force veteran Cordell Richards whilst she turned into 15 and turned into launched in 2012 at age 28
Renee Lincks, 36, turned into sentenced to fifteen years in jail for the 1999 homicide of Air Force veteran Cordell Richards whilst she turned into 15 and turned into launched in 2012 at age 28
Since being launched from jail, Lincks lives a snug way of life in Florida, pictured right here remaining week buying at Ross wherein she bought canine treats and domestic goods
Since being launched from jail, Lincks lives a snug way of life in Florida, pictured right here remaining week buying at Ross wherein she bought canine treats and domestic goods
The tattooed felon has constructed a brand new lifestyles in Homestead, south of Miami, wherein she these days bought her first domestic with a lady associate (the couple are pictured collectively)
The tattooed felon has constructed a brand new lifestyles in Homestead, south of Miami, wherein she these days bought her first domestic with a lady associate (the couple are pictured collectively)
The badly decomposed frame of 31-yr-vintage Cordell Richards turned into observed burned and tied to a tree in a secluded vicinity close to Fort Walton Beach, Florida in March 1999
The badly decomposed frame of 31-yr-vintage Cordell Richards turned into observed burned and tied to a tree in a secluded vicinity close to Fort Walton Beach, Florida in March 1999
Now of their 30s, Bell and Maestas, seemed in courtroom docket remaining week to attraction their sentences below a Supreme Court ruling that stated obligatory lifestyles with out parole for juveniles turned into unconstitutional.
A decide dashed their hopes of launch through upholding each lifestyles terms – however the identical can’t be stated of Lincks who turned into freed in 2012, elderly 28.
DailyMail.com can monitor that the tattooed felon has due to the fact constructed a a laugh new lifestyles in Homestead, south of Miami, wherein she these days bought her first domestic with a lady associate.
Her carefree way of life is laid naked in social media posts which display her partying with girlfriends, sipping liquids through a pool and dressing puppies up in Christmas outfits.
When DailyMail.com approached the now 36-yr-vintage this week to talk approximately the case Lincks refused to talk about her darkish beyond. ‘How did you recognize my name?’ she snapped at our reporter. ‘I’m now no longer going to reply any of your questions.’
Richards’ own circle of relatives understood the want for a plea deal withinside the unique 2000 prosecution and appeared it as a vital evil to stable damning testimony towards of the 3. But they have got constantly felt Lincks turned into quintessential to the killing – and ought to additionally be locked up for lifestyles.
‘Without a doubt in my mind, she ought to nonetheless be at the back of bars,’ the slain Airman’s youngest daughter Rei Richards, 24, advised DailyMail.com.
‘Renee Lincks turned into a totally energetic a part of the process – she is simply as a whole lot of a monster because the relaxation of them are.’
Lincks’ carefree way of life is laid naked in social media posts which display her partying with friends
Lincks’ carefree way of life is laid naked in social media posts which display her partying with friends
A yr after she turned into launched from jail in 2012, Lincks (center) turned into sipping liquids through a pool together along with her girlfriends
A yr after she turned into launched from jail in 2012, Lincks (center) turned into sipping liquids through a pool together along with her girlfriends
This is the woman (left) that Lincks is residing with in Homestead, Florida, after best serving 12 years at the back of bars for the homicide of the Air Force veteran
This is the woman (left) that Lincks is residing with in Homestead, Florida, after best serving 12 years at the back of bars for the homicide of the Air Force veteran
Renee Lincks and her lady associate bought this 3 bed room, tubtub 1,483 square-foot domestic Homestead, Florida for $205,000 in 2018
Renee Lincks and her lady associate bought this 3 bed room, tubtub 1,483 square-foot domestic Homestead, Florida for $205,000 in 2018
In a grim irony, the Ford F150 truck she drives has a huge sticky label at the returned window paying tribute to fallen US servicemen
In a grim irony, the Ford F150 truck she drives has a huge sticky label at the returned window paying tribute to fallen US servicemen
Lincks took a damage from her guide exertions activity to have lunch at Long John Silvers in Florida remaining week
Lincks took a damage from her guide exertions activity to have lunch at Long John Silvers in Florida remaining week
Links, Maestas and Bell had by no means met Richards till Maestas turned into kicked out through her dad and mom in early 1999 and replied to his newspaper advert for a room for rent.
Within weeks of transferring in she presupposed to Bell, her besotted boyfriend of numerous months, that Richards had made undesirable sexual advances toward her and Lincks.
Cordell’s daughter Rei Richards, 24, advised DailyMail.com, ‘Without a doubt in my mind, she ought to nonetheless be at the back of bars’
Cordell’s daughter Rei Richards, 24, advised DailyMail.com, ‘Without a doubt in my mind, she ought to nonetheless be at the back of bars’
On the night of February 2, 1999, Bell faced Richards inner his apartment, chocking him subconscious and clubbing him with a baseball bat. Bell, Maestas and Lincks then collectively tied Richards up and rolled him in a blanket earlier than using him to secluded woodland.
For the following days they saved the helpless veteran chained to a tree and subjected him to what the decide on the unique homicide trial defined as ‘unspeakable horror’.
The trio first took turns to hit Richards with the bat, with Bell complaining the ladies weren’t placing him difficult sufficient and proclaiming himself ‘Babe Ruth’ as he viciously slugged his victim.
Then, as Richards begged for his lifestyles Bell poured lighter gas over him. Maestas set him alight.
The 3 ran off into the night time however once they lower back the following morning to test that Richards turned into dead, they observed him clinging to lifestyles and calling faintly for help.
According to Lincks’ testimony, Bell tried to snap Richards’ neck however failed. He and Lincks then drove to a close-by Target to shop for duct tape and a meat cleaver which Bell used to reduce Richards’ throat.
They even took the homicide weapon returned to the shop afterwards to say a refund, consistent with reviews from the time. Bell and Maestas could go back to the scene one remaining time every week later, this time to burn Richards’ corpse and cowl their tracks.
The warped trio may have succeeded had a 12-yr-vintage boy now no longer stumbled throughout the charred stays on March four.
While the frame turned into broken past recognition, forensics specialists had been capable of retrieve a unmarried fingerprint from a thumb which they subsequently matched to Richards’ army information.
By then the doting dad were lacking a month, his own circle of relatives developing more and more more worried whilst he failed to expose up at Rei’s fourth birthday party.
An post-mortem could monitor the stunning quantity of the torture, with Richards observed to have suffered a couple of fractures to his head, shoulder, sternum, ribs, fingers and wrist.
Bell turned into initially sentenced to demise however in 2002 the Florida Supreme Court overturned the ruling due to the fact the decide had now no longer taken enough account of his age on the time of the killing.
Prosecutors did now no longer are looking for the demise penalty towards Maestas due to the fact she turned into best sixteen. She turned into as a substitute exceeded a lifestyles sentence.
Kristel Maestas turned into sixteen on the time of Cordell Richard’s homicide. She turned into re-sentenced to lifestyles in jail in Florida remaining week
She turned into re-sentenced to lifestyles in jail in Florida remaining week
Kristel Maestas turned into sixteen on the time of Cordell Richard’s homicide, who turned into her landlord. She turned into re-sentenced to lifestyles in jail in Florida remaining week
Ronald Bell turned into 17 whilst he murdered Cordell Richards after his then-female friend Maestas claimed Richards had made a byskip at her
He and Maestas had grow to be eligible for re-sentencing after the Supreme Court dominated in 2015 that juveniles could not be sentenced to lifestyles with out parole
Ronald Bell turned into 17 whilst he murdered Cordell Richards after his then-female friend Maestas claimed Richards had made a byskip at her. He and Maestas had grow to be eligible for re-sentencing after the Supreme Court dominated in 2015 that juveniles couldn’t be sentenced to lifestyles with out parole
Renee Lincks is pictured in courtroom docket as a youngsterager accused of tying the father-of- to a tree and taking turns in battering him with a baseball bat earlier than placing him on fire
Renee Lincks is pictured in courtroom docket as a youngsterager accused of tying the father-of- to a tree and taking turns in battering him with a baseball bat earlier than placing him on fire
Surveillance photos indicates the lethal trio buying the beef cleaver that turned into used to reduce Cordell Richard’s throat in 1999
Surveillance photos indicates the lethal trio buying the beef cleaver that turned into used to reduce Cordell Richard’s throat in 1999
Lincks turned into by no means charged with homicide due to the fact she gave testimony declaring that Bell and Maestas plotted the killing and purchased the rope and chain beforehand.
However quantities of her account had been later contested through Maestas, who determined to offer testimony submit-sentence in an try to win choose in any destiny clemency petition.
She said that Lincks had demanded PIN numbers from Richards even as he turned into being beaten – and that she turned into the primary to signify burning him alive.
Maestas additionally stated that once Bell reduce Richards’ throat, Lincks quizzed him as to whether or not he had reduce deep sufficient.
Public information country that Lincks turned into launched from jail on February 1, 2012 and there may be not anything to signify she has ever reoffended.
A Facebook submit taken 365 days later confirmed her striking out poolside with a set of girlfriends, consuming beer and liquor.
In current years she seems to have settled down with a lady associate with whom she mutually sold a 3-bed room own circle of relatives domestic remaining June for $205,000.
The 5ft 3in former culprit now works for a preservation enterprise and stocks her love of puppies on social media.
In a grim irony, the Ford F150 truck she drives has a huge sticky label at the returned window paying tribute to fallen US servicemen.
‘The United States flag does now no longer fly due to the fact the wind actions beyond it,’ the signal reads. ‘The United States flag flies from the remaining breath of every army member who has died shielding it.’
Cordell Richard’s mom Ruby Richards and Cordell’s daughter Rei Richards embody in courtroom docket remaining week after the 2 killers had been jailed for lifestyles
Cordell Richard’s mom Ruby Richards and Cordell’s daughter Rei Richards embody in courtroom docket remaining week after the 2 killers had been jailed for lifestyles
The re-sentencing of Bell and Maestas – who’ve spent extra than 1/2 of their lives at the back of bars – turned into ordered due to a 2012 US Supreme Court ruling that banned obligatory lifestyles-with out-parole sentences.
The 5-four selection gave hundreds of teenybopper lifers throughout the United States a shot at launch however Okaloosa County Circuit Court Judge William Stone slammed the mobileular door close at the duo’s hopes of freedom.
Bell turned into re-sentenced to lifestyles in jail for first diploma homicide and slapped with a consecutive lifestyles time period for kidnapping with a weapon.
Maestas, the best one of the trio who has ever contacted the Richards own circle of relatives to specific remorse, will serve lifestyles plus 30 years consecutive for the kidnapping.
‘I realize that a variety of humans may need to study this like it’s a party due to the fact they may be at the back of bars and they may be by no means coming out,’ Rei advised DailyMail.com.
‘Yes, it feels precise that justice has been performed however this could constantly be a huge loss for us that we are able to by no means get better from. We misplaced a father, a son, a brother.
‘I’m by no means going to have my father stroll me down the aisle, I’m by no means going to get to introduce him to his grandchildren. Having them at the back of bars will by no means supply me returned my dad.’
