New details were revealed in court Tuesday, July 23, at the preliminary and detention hearing of 79-year-old Orange resident Putnam Richardson charged with kidnapping local attorney Mel Shelander last week.
According to FBI Special Investigator Ryan Long who testified on behalf of the state this afternoon, Richardson allegedly approached Shelander wearing a “Halloween-style mask” in the parking lot of his downtown Beaumont law office on Monday morning, July 15, and demanded him into the passenger side of his own vehicle with his face down.
Long says the FBI became aware of the situation when the family of the victim came in for an interview and reported receiving 6 phone calls from Shelander's cell phone demanding a $1 million ransom within 48 hours, stating that if his demands were not met, the victim would be killed.
According to Long, following an open records search, investigators surveillance Richardson’s Orange home on July 17, where they saw him leave his home with the victim in the passenger seat of his car, having his eyes covered in gauze and bandages.
Richardson then drove to a nearby gas station and exited the vehicle, allowing officers an opportunity to safely retrieve the victim and take Richardson into custody.
According to Special Agent Long, the victim described being held in a shed on Richardson’s property, chained by his hands and feet to the floor.
The victim and his family indicated to officers that based on the fluctuation of the voice in the calls, they believe there may have been more than one person making the threatening calls to them, but Agent Long stated no other evidence of a second perpetrator exists.
Richardson’s attorney Tom Berg of Houston argued that his client is 79-years old and didn’t actually injure the alleged victim, therefore he did not feel he was a threat to the community and should be released on house arrest.
Judge Hawthorn determined based on Richardson’s alleged actions and previous kidnapping conviction along with the potential to face life in prison, that Richardson poses a flight risk as well as a threat to the community and should remain in custody. Judge Hawthorn added that despite his ruling, he had received word that the parole office intended to place a parole hold or warrant on Richardson for violation of his parole, which would require him to remain in custody.
The Examiner’s original report on July 18, 2024: https://www.theexaminer.com/news/79-year-old-orange-resident-charged-kidnapping-local-attorney-mel-shelander