Background: Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility (YouTube screenshot). Inset: Richard S. Hampton (Riverside County Sheriff’s Office).
A 40-year-old incarcerated man in California will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after he admitted to killing his cellmate, an accused child molester, then telling authorities that he beat the other man to death to make the world “safer” for kids.
A judge in California earlier this month ordered Richard S. Hampton to serve a sentence of 50 years to life in a state correctional facility after he was convicted on one count of first-degree murder in the brutal death of Rosendo Echevarria, authorities confirmed to Law&Crime.
At least two other men are accused of being involved in the attack on Echevarria. Jason Barton has pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder and is awaiting trial. Following the attack, the third alleged killer, Aaron Aubrey, killed himself while still in prison.
Jason Barton, left, and Aaron Aubrey, right (Riverside County Sheriff’s Office).
According to court documents obtained by Law&Crime, Hampton on Sept. 8, 2020, “intentionally killed” Echevarria by “lying in wait” and attacking him in one of the housing units at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning, California.
Records provided by the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office showed that Hampton was serving time for a 2001 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, a “serious offense” which prosecutors said was “committed for a criminal street gang.”
A copy of the sentencing memo submitted by prosecutors and obtained by the The Press-Enterprise provided additional details about the circumstances of Echevarria’s murder.
According to the report, Hampton on Sept. 5, 2020, was on a recorded call with his mother from a prison phone when he spelled out Echevarria’s first and last name, asking her to look him up on the internet and find out what charges he was facing. Hampton’s mother reportedly told her son that the other man was incarcerated for child abuse, though he was actually facing four felony counts of molesting a child under the age of 14.
“Don’t get involved in it,” the mother reportedly said.
“No choice,” Hampton reportedly responded.
Surveillance footage from inside of the jail reportedly showed that Hampton waited inside a cell while Aubrey used a blanket to conceal what was happening on the cell’s bottom bunk.
“(Hampton) sat on the lower bed of the bunk and began to assault Echevarria on the lower bed of the bunk,” prosecutors wrote in court document. “Barton began to assault Echevarria, grabbing a cane from the upper bunk rail of a bed.”
Following the assault, prosecutors reportedly said Hampton and Barton exited the cell and took showers while Aubrey put a blanket over the victim’s body on the bottom bunk. Barton reportedly returned to the cell and used multiple towels to clean the area around the beds before disposing of the then-bloody towels in the garbage.
Prosecutors also reportedly said that the three assailants were seen on surveillance footage being congratulated by other inmates over the attack and that Hampton readily admitted to his role in the attack.
“Seven hours later, the defendant was in a holding cell when a correctional deputy walked in,” prosecutors reportedly wrote in court filings. “(Hampton) told that correctional deputy that he made the world a safer place for the children.”
