Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

WARWICK -- Jurors in the retrial of James Richardson, accused of murdering Margaret Duffy-Stephenson of Warwick in 2005, today are hearing a police detective talk about blood stains, footprints and hair found at the scene.

Under cross examination in Kent County Superior Court, Warwick Det. Barbara Frazier said hairs and fibers were found in the body bag in which Duffy-Stephenson was placed. One hair matched Margaret Duffy-Stephenson and another, Richardson.

Duffy-Stephenson, 37, a teacher's aide for special-needs students in East Greenwich, was found stabbed to death on Nov. 18, 2005, after she returned home early from a family wedding in Florida. Her husband and the couple's 3-year-old son, Robert, had stayed in Florida to visit with relatives.

Duffy-Stephenson was found dead at the bottom of stairs with neck and body stab wounds. The police said her attacker ransacked a downstairs office and $11,000 from a locked safe.

Defendant Richardson worked for the landscaping business owned by Duffy-Stephenson's husband, James Stephenson III, and he routinely house-sat for the family when they went on vacation.

Richardson is charged with first-degree murder and burglary. His first trial, last year, ended in a hung jury.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney, with reports from Journal staff writer Talia Buford

 Tags  crime James Richardson Margaret Duffy-Stephenson murder trial Warwick

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