MCALLEN (ValleyCentral) — State prosecutors are recommending that a McAllen man accused of murdering a woman serve in prison for life if he’s convicted of the crime.
On Wednesday, prosecutors announced their recommendation that Richard Ford, 42, spend the rest of his life in jail for the murder of Melissa Banda, 37, that he is accused of committing in August 2020. Prosecutors chose not to seek the death penalty against Ford in November 2021.
According to police, Banda was found dead on Aug. 7, 2020, a day after she was reported to have been forcefully taken from her home by Ford. He was arrested a few days later and charged with murder, assault, stalking, and violating a restraining order. The latter three charges were from two separate incidents.
Medical professionals determined that Banda died from a laceration on her neck caused by a sharped object. After reviewing witness statements, physical evidence, video surveillance evidence, and GPS coordinates, officials were able to obtain a warrant for Ford’s arrest for capital murder.
Ford pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and remains jailed on a $4.5 million bond. He was previously convicted of attempting to murder someone in a 2001 incident. He faced eight years of deferred adjudication for that crime.
The next motion in the litigation is a pre-trial hearing scheduled for April 20.