A mystery unfolds as the body is dumped in the river, exposing a “serial killer who murdered three men” while police search for more victims

A MAN is linked to three murders that occurred over the course of two months.

John Richardson, 53, was charged with three first-degree murders between early February and late March, the Greensboro Police Department said.

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Richardson was charged in connection with the February 1 death of Michael Hemphill, the March 10 murder of Mark Anthony Gilbert Jr. and the disappearance of James Goolsby, which was found in Virginia in mid-April.

Goolsby disappeared sometime around March 25, according to authorities.

Prosecutors are working to determine if Richardson will be linked to any additional murders. A serial killer is defined by the FBI as “unlawful killing of two or more victims by the same perpetrator(s) in separate events”.

Hemphill was found by police on January 25 with a possible gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to the hospital and died days later on February 1, turning the investigation into a murder.

A 911 caller informed police that Gilbert Jr. was beaten March 10 and found lying near a dumpster. He would die of his injuries that same day.

According to court records, Richardson took the victim’s car, phone and wallet.

Goolsby was reported missing on March 28, having last been seen on March 25 days before. Investigators believed foul play had played a role in his disappearance.

His body was recovered April 14 in Henry County, Virginia. During this time, Richardson was charged with the death of Hemphill.

Henry County Sheriff’s Office detectives said Goolsby’s remains were dumped into the Mayo River from a bridge in Spencer, Virginia.

Richardson was later charged in the deaths of Gilbert Jr. and Goolsby on April 19 and 22, respectively.

He was also charged with possession of a firearm, robbery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of concealment of death or tampering with a corpse.

Some of the indictments claimed that Richardson may have dismembered some of the victim’s remains, according to the warrant.

Another man, Jonathan Murphy, 38, was also arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the April 8 death of Hemphill and possession of a firearm by a criminal.

Court records showed text messages between Murphy and Richardson, possibly connecting them to the murder.

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