Richard Thomas Joseph III
When a convicted felon attempted to steal a 74-year-old woman’s car by breaking the window and damaging the steering column, he left behind just enough blood for Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to arrest him two years later.
Richard Thomas Joseph III, 39, was charged Monday with vehicle burglary, attempted grand theft auto and criminal mischief. He was released from state prison in January after serving a one year, 8 month sentence on a separate grand theft auto charge from 2014, according to records.
Detectives were first notified that the 74-year-old victim’s 1994 tan Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera had been broken into in July 2013 outside of her home in unincorporated West Palm Beach. The window on the driver side had been shattered and the steering column had been manipulated, according to detectives. Detectives spotted blood mixed into the shattered glass under the steering column.
The blood was sent to a lab to be processed in January 2014, according to the police report. The DNA results were then run through a database and found to match Joseph’s DNA.
Records show that Joseph has been sentences to time state prison on five different occasions. He served four years beginning in 1994 for burglary, robbery and aggravated assault. He served 10 months for marijuana possession with intent to sell in 2000. He then served five years in 2005 for two charges of grand theft auto.
He was taken to Palm Beach County Jail on Monday where he awaits $11,000 bail.
