The Vanishing of Richard Banyots: A Cold Case Haunted by a Nearly Forgotten Night

Background and personal profile
On November 3, 1985, 19-year-old Richard R. Banyots disappeared from his hometown of Girard, Ohio. At the time of his disappearance he was described as Caucasian, with blond hair and brown eyes. His height was listed in various sources as between approximately 5′10″ and 6′3″, and his weight around 175–185 lbs. What little is known of his life before that night indicates he was working as a driver for UPS and part-time as a stockbroker.

The night of disappearance
On the evening of November 3, 1985, Richard is reported to have made a phone call from his bedroom in his family home in Girard. Shortly after that call he left the house abruptly and did not return. His brother began searching for him about 3:00 a.m. when he failed to show up. These events mark the last known confirmed contact with Richard.

Witness reports & alleged sequence of events
Uncovered">Uncovered) According to these reports, the situation escalated: two men—identified as Clarence “Vince” Coleman and Jerome McDavis —who were alleged procurers at the brothel, confronted Richard after time spent upstairs with a woman. They allegedly pistol-whipped him, robbed him, and then placed him in the trunk of his own car. The two then supposedly drove him to a secluded area along the Monongahela River and there Coleman is alleged to have shot Richard three times.

Legal action and convictions
While Richard’s body has never been recovered, both Coleman and McDavis were arrested and tried in connection with his disappearance and presumed murder. According to court records, Coleman’s first trial resulted in a mistrial, but in a later trial he was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, theft and conspiracy. McDavis, tried separately, ultimately was convicted of similar charges. There was also a woman, Michelle Miller, who had apparently been upstairs with Richard at the brothel; she was initially given immunity to testify, but the deal fell apart and she later pleaded no contest to lesser charges while the murder charge was dropped. ...Read More

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