A jury has sentenced Jesce Richt (2/28/83) to life without the possibility of parole, after convicting him of First Degree Murder with the Use of a Deadly Weapon. Richt was charged with killing his estranged girlfriend Jessica Griffin on April 18, 2023 at her mother’s home in Verdi. Richt, who also went by Paul Watterson, shot Jessica 7 times in 5 seconds after following her into the home’s garage when she arrived back from work. Richt immediately fled the scene but was arrested nearly a week later in Las Vegas.
Reno Police were the first to respond to the shooting and led the investigation into Jessica’s death and Richt’s subsequent arrest. Over the course of their investigation, it was discovered that Richt had been arrested on April 11th, a week before the shooting, on an outstanding warrant for domestic violence. The defendant made bail and was released later that same day.
During the trial, Deputy District Attorney Jeff Hoppe highlighted how Richt spent the next few days stalking Jessica. Surveillance video showed the defendant using multiple rental cars to patrol the spa where the victim worked and circling her mother’s home. During closing arguments, DDA Hoppe touched on the premeditation Richt showed, at one point referring to how he was “hunting” Jessica. Hoppe drove that point home when speaking to the jury before sentencing, saying Richt had “made a sport of hunting women.”
Over the last week and a half, jurors were also shown videos from the neighborhood, including when Richt approached the home after Jessica’s car pulled in the night of April 18th. In that clip, jurors heard her scream, followed by 7 gunshots, before Richt ran away.
The state concluded their argument by asking the jury to impose life without parole, saying “Protect Jessica’s family. Protect the community. Protect the next victim.”
“The family of Jessica Griffin received justice today, and for that I am thankful to the men and women of the jury in their conviction and sentencing of Jesce Richt,” said Washoe County Assistant District Attorney Zach Young. “Every moment of his prison sentence is justly earned, and I can only hope it provides some sense of closure to Jessica’s loved ones. Domestic violence homicides are a tragic and preventable crime that shatter families and communities. Jessica’s case underscores the urgent need for comprehensive support systems, awareness, and intervention to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.”
