HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — A Baltimore man was convicted by a jury in connection with the attempted rape and murder of a woman in Harford County.
The Harford County State's Attorney's Office announced the conviction of Theodore Richards Jr., 40, following a four-day trial.
On June 26, 2025, authorities responded to reports of an assault in Edgewood and made contact with the victim, who told them about numerous incidents involving her former partner, identified as Richards.
According to the state's attorney's office, the victim told law enforcement that on June 23, she ended her relationship with Richards multiple times through phone calls and text messages, including from alternate phone numbers after she blocked him. He threatened to show up at her home uninvited.
On the night of June 26, Richards was outside the victim's home as she was arriving with her three minor children.
Even though she told Richards to leave, he continued trying to talk to her.
Fearing for her children's safety, the victim took them to her mother's house and returned to her home alone later that night. At that moment, Richards ambushed her from behind a bush and chased her around her car.
Richards grabbed the victim's wrist, followed her to the front door, restrained her by the waist, and kissed her neck despite her repeatedly telling him to stop.
He also requested to go inside the home, which the victim denied.
Once the victim entered her home, Richards forced his way inside and continued the assault by pushing and grabbing her, tearing her underwear and making statements indicating he intended to force sexual intercourse.
He restrained the victim on the couch and placed his hands around her neck multiple times, restricting her ability to breathe, and attempted to gouge her left eye with his thumb.
Richards threatened to kill the victim multiple times throughout the assault.
The victim was able to defend herself during the assault, cutting Richards with keys she had in her hand.
An associate of Richards appeared at the home and intervened, telling him to leave before police arrived.
Both men left just before police arrived.
Authorities observed the victim's physical injuries, along with blood inside the home.
Damage was also visible in the living room, and ring doorbell footage confirmed the events outside the home that were described to police and caught Richards making a threat to the victim as he was leaving.
"As a former domestic violence prosecutor myself, the prosecution of these cases will always be meaningful to me," said State's Attorney Alison Healey. "No person should ever live in fear of their partner or ex-partner, and a person's home should be their safe harbor. Violating that safety and security is inexcusable. We will stop at nothing to hold domestic violence offenders, such as this defendant, accountable, so they are never again free to put another person at risk. I commend Assistant State's Attorney Logan Hayes for her valiant effort in this case, but also for generally being a constant champion for our domestic violence victims. These cases can be extremely challenging to prosecute, and her efforts have surely resulted in a positive impact on the lives of those she's touched and the community as a whole."
Sentencing for Richards is scheduled for April 2, 2026.
Officials say he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison plus 30 years.
