Richard White was a suspect in a string of stalkings, rapes and murders.
Background
Richard's mother Lila would keep telling him that his father was a taker and never earned anything in his life. When his father killed himself in 1994, Richard blamed Lila and took his rage out on other women. He started dating a woman named Louise Billings and started abusing her physically and sexually for three years. He also ran into a fellow realtor named Kimberly Phillips and proposed to go into business together, with him providing the seed money. Richard also mentioned his idea of a scam where they would rip people off with high-interest loans on houses, but she turned him down. He stalked and threatened Kimberly until she eventually agreed to the partnership.
When Louise broke up with him, he pretended to take the news well while he started stalking Louise. He eventually managed to convince Louise that it was all a big coincidence and she invited him to her apartment for dinner. Richard got drunk, raped Louise, and was eventually charged with her rape. A.D.A. Karen Fitzgerald prosecuted him in the case. He threatened to kill Kimberly if she didn't testify in his defense and keep quiet about the scam. He eventually pleaded guilty to sexual assault in order to serve no jail time under the advisement of his attorney after Karen smeared his name in court. He sends flowers to both Louise and Karen, saying "No hard feelings". He eventually started stalking Karen as well and followed her to a bar.
Stalked
Richard later followed Karen to Central Park, where he ambushed her while she was reading a book, dragged her to a secluded area, and proceeded to rape and murder her. He is later questioned by Detectives Benson and Stabler, feigning sympathy and innocence. After they ask for his alibi, he says he was showing a house with Kimberly. He is later brought into the precinct by Benson and Stabler after they begin to have doubts about Richard's alibi. Benson (who was a friend of Karen's) interrogates him and tries to trick him by saying Kimberly didn't corroborate his alibi. However, he sees right through her lies and keeps turning the conversation around to her. He mentions Benson's history in SVU and that she graduated from Sienna College. In response, Benson insults him and he calls her a "bitch".
He then leaves, abandons his place, and begins stalking Benson. Richard eventually goes to Louise's apartment, calls her a bitch, and kills her. He leaves the apartment and goes to his mother's house, where he borrows her credit card to buy flowers to send to Benson with his trademark message "No hard feelings". Richard calls Olivia while she is sleeping and arranges for her to meet him in Central Park in the same bench Karen was sitting when he grabbed her. He holds a woman hostage with a knife, pretends to jog with her in the park, and runs up to Benson. He holds the knife to her throat as he attempts to rape and kill her. The police quickly jump out and arrest Richard. In interrogation, he confesses to the rapes and murders, but in order to avoid the death penalty, he tells Benson that he stabbed both women instead of shooting them. At the end of the interrogation, he subtly threatens Stabler by asking how Kathy and the kids are.
Known Victims
- Kimberly Phillips (stalked and threatened)
- Louise Billings (repeatedly beaten and raped; later shot twice in the head)
- A.D.A. Karen Fitzgerald (beaten with a rock, raped, and shot twice in the head)
- Unnamed female jogger (held at knifepoint)
- Detective Olivia Benson (stalked, held at knifepoint, and attempted to rape and assault)