The quiet community of Evansville, Indiana, was shocked when hero firefighter Robert Doerr was gunned down in his driveway. For a time, the murder remained a mystery, but a stolen gun from a pawnshop eventually provided the crucial breakthrough.
The Victim: A Beloved Firefighter
Robert 'Robbie' Doerr, 51, was a dedicated firefighter with 28 years of service in Evansville. He saved countless lives and was known for cooking meatloaf and chicken pot pie for his crew. He had recently married Elizabeth 'Becky' Fox-Doerr, his wife of just six months, and they blended their families.
The Crime and Initial Confusion
On February 26, 2019, after working a 12-hour shift, Doerr arrived home around 7 p.m. As he exited his truck, neighbours heard gunfire. Fox-Doerr, who was cooking, also heard the shots and called 911. Responders, including Doerr's colleagues, found him shot twice in the back and once in the shoulder. He died at the scene.
The investigation revealed that the killer used a Taurus Judge revolver, which fires both pistol rounds and shotgun shells. Police traced a stolen Taurus Judge to a local pawnshop.
The Pawnshop Connection
The pawnshop's employee, Larry Richmond Jr., eventually confessed to stealing the gun and giving it to his father, Larry Richmond Sr. Richmond Sr was on parole for a 1996 murder conviction and was engaged to Fox-Doerr's sister, Amanda Fillmore. Police later discovered Richmond Sr had buried several guns in Fillmore's backyard, but not the murder weapon.
The Affair and Conspiracy
Investigators uncovered a romantic relationship between Fox-Doerr and Richmond Sr. Phone records showed a deleted four-minute call between them just before the shooting. Fox-Doerr initially claimed she deleted calls to save space, but her son Nathaniel Guthrie testified against her, revealing a note from Richmond Sr that read, "We need to talk."
A letter from Doerr, written before his death, expressed his suspicion of his wife's infidelity, saying she had changed "ever since he came back into your life." A prison informant also claimed Richmond Sr bragged about the affair and the murder.
Trials and Convictions
In August 2022, both were charged with murder and conspiracy. Fox-Doerr was tried in 2024. The prosecution argued she and Richmond Sr conspired for Doerr's pension and benefits, though she was not the beneficiary. The jury convicted her, and she received a 90-year sentence. Her appeal was denied in 2025.
Richmond Sr was tried in 2025. Evidence showed his phone circling the crime scene before the murder. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Legacy
Doerr's memory lives on at the fire station, where a new fire truck was dedicated in his honour. His colleagues and community continue to remember him as a hero.
