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The
United States. Marshals Service
conducts a manhunt throughout the country after a former attorney, believed to be guilty of a 30-year sentence, reportedly killed his mother , cut off his ankle monitoring bracelet and escaped.
Richard Merritt, 44, is wanted for the murder of his mother in DeKalb County, Georgia, after she was found "violently killed" on February 2, according to US Marshals.
Merritt was to surrender himself to the authorities of Cobb County on February 1, after pleading guilty to stealing money from clients of his law firm, as well as than for mistreating older people, according to a statement from the Marshals Service. He had to serve 15 years in prison and 15 years of probation. Instead, he is accused of stabbing his mother to death and stealing his silver Lexus SUV.
Robert Merritt, Richard's brother, had urged him to surrender to the police during an interview with ABC News on Saturday.
the consequences of the criminal behavior for which you were sentenced on January 18 and you must now be held responsible for the brutal murder of our mother, "he said.
In a
obituary in line
for Shirley Merritt, his alleged killer and his son Richard were excluded from the list of his survivors.
The allegation of elder abuse was not related to his mother, [19659012] according to an indictment
.
"He probably knows Frank Lempka, a member of the US Marshals Service in charge of recovering Merritt,
told the Atlanta subsidiary ABC, WSB
]. "It could be anywhere, we think it could be anywhere in the country."
The fugitive was a lawyer at Merritt & Fletcher LLC Attorneys in Smyrna, Georgia, but had started the practice as an individual at the time of his arrest. Merritt became a lawyer in 2000 and was struck off in January 2018,
pursuant to a judgment
of the Supreme Court of the State. Merritt admitted in February 2017 that he stole $ 75,000 from a customer and voluntarily surrendered his license, according to the judgment.
In the criminal case for which he pleaded guilty, he was charged with 34 counts and allegedly stealing $ 420,000 from the United States. 17 customers. According to the indictment, Merritt falsified the signature of many customers on checks, then cashed them and kept the money for himself.
of WSB, an Atlanta subsidiary of ABC News, in which he stated that he remained in shock from the so-called matricide.
"For a whole year, my client was released on bail … Not once, he has hinted or implied … anyway that he escapes justice, let alone to show any sign that he is capable of such heinous violence towards everyone, his mother, "Willingham said in his statement.
"A few days before, he had to surrender and at the beginning of his sentence, Mr. Merritt seemed optimistic and optimistic about his chances of being released on parole after only five years in prison. not believe it happened, my thoughts and prayers continue to the entire Merritt family. "
Lempka called him" very unpredictable "and said," He could hurt or kill someone else. " at this stage."
"He may have shaved his head or changed his appearance, and should be considered armed and dangerous," said the US Marshals service in his publication. "Do not try to engage him."
US. Marshals released Saturday a new photo of Merritt leaving a gas station within hours of closing the ankle monitor. They also announced a $ 5,000 reward for information on where he was.
Robert also stated that he was worried about their safety: "I am very worried about the safety of our family.Nobody thought that he was capable of such cruel and inhuman behavior against his mother, if he is willing to do that to his flesh and blood, you know, what would he do to someone else? "
Rachel Katz ABC News contributed to this report.
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