AS SUSPECT LUCAS RICHARDS IN POLICE CUSTODY
Monrovia, Liberia – After receiving treatment at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Jessica Lloyd, th target of an attempted murder, has finally made her voice heard. She claimed that her American boyfriend, Lucas Richards, nearly killed her in a violent attack.
Lloyd described the gruesome occurrence, explaining that Richards had tricked her into going to a remote location under the pretense of fixing a flat tyre. Unexpectedly, he attacked her with a metal weapon and tried to cut her throat. Thankfully, a watchful witness stepped in and saved her life, according to a Front Page Africa report on September 18, 2023.
A cote from FPA ”Describing the chilling encounter, Lloyd said, “While we were going, we saw a cemetery and he suggested that we get down and see the graves. He said that’s what they do in America, but I told him no. Later he stopped the car and said one of the tires had a problem and he pulled the irons and called me to help him. While helping him, he said there was dirt on my head, and he loosened my hair to take away the dirt. Then he hit me with the iron very hard. I thought it was the tire that burst, but I fell and while attempting to wake up, he took the knife and began to slaughter me. But it looks like the boy has been watching us and he saw him hitting the iron on my head. And he came to my rescue.”
The courageous Good Samaritan, who only identified himself as Ernest, speaking with Freedom TV, corroborated Jessica’s account. He asserted that he witnessed Richards assaulting Jessica with a metal object and attempting to slit her throat. “I saw the white man hit the girl on the hid and he bent over her and started slaughtering her. That’s when I rushed there… I stopped the Kekeh (tricycle) and asked the rider to take her to the hospital. And I chartered kekeh to run after him,” he said.
Ernest said he sustained a severed wound while protecting Richards from being mobbed by the angry crowd. He was accompanied by a friend who claimed that he sustained a severe wound when he joined Ernest to save Jessica’s life.
A FRONT PAGE REPORT ON Richards’ Account
Providing his account of the events to reporters, Richards explained that he had picked up Lloyd, who had requested $150 to give to her mother. He stated that he drove her to the supermarket, where they purchased food items, including cornflakes and milk. After driving around for some time, he decided to drop her off at her destination. As she disembarked from his car and waited by the roadside for a commercial motorcyclist, Richards also exited the vehicle to address a flat tire.
He said in a sudden turn of events, a speeding motorbike struck Lloyd, causing her to fall into a ditch. Abandoning his tire-changing task, Richards said he rushed to her aid, but the motorcyclist who had collided with her accused him of attempting to harm her. Richards explained that Lloyd had attempted to seek refuge in his car, but the growing crowd began to hurl objects at him. He furthered that in response to the escalating situation, Lloyd advised him to make his escape. And he drove to the police station as the angry crowd of motorcyclists chased after him. He, however, refused to state whether he and Lloyd are in a relationship when asked by the reporter.
“She asked me to help with US$150. and I gave it to her mom. She asked me for milk, cornflakes, and other things. I took her to the Supermarket… From there we decided that I would drop her back to her parents… A motorbike came and hit her. She fell backward and rolled into that ditch. At that point, I leave what I was doing and to attend to her and the bike rider that hit began to shout that I attempted to kill her.”
Manwhile the Liberia National Police has reported that it has arrested and is investigating an American national, Lucas Richards, on allegetion of Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder and Aggravated Assault.
According to the LNP, Jessica Lloyd was allegedly attacked and injured on Wednesday, September 14, 2023 at 3 PM while being driven through Dixville, Caldwell by the suspect Richards. Jessica was allegedly left with lacerations on her neck, the back of her skull, and her fingers.
The suspect Richards is being held at the Liberia National Police headquarters while the victim Lloyd is receiving treatment at the John F. Kennedy Medical Centre, the LNP report. LNP assured that Justice will be done.
