Medeiros and his 26 tenants who were also arraigned last year in Fall River pleaded not guilty to all charges. Medeiros’ case had been scheduled for a status review on April 13 in Superior Court in Taunton.
FALL RIVER - Richard Medeiros, the 83-year-old Westport man indicted last year on 21 counts of animal cruelty related to the squalid conditions on his rental farm, has died.
A receptionist who answered the phone at the law offices of Karen Benson, Medeiros’ attorney, office confirmed his passing. Benson was not immediately available for comment this morning.
With his death, Medeiros’ pending case in Bristol County Superior Court will be dismissed. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, did not immediately provide comment.
Medeiros and his 26 tenants who were also arraigned last year in Fall River pleaded not guilty to all charges. Medeiros’ case had been scheduled for a status review on April 13 in Superior Court in Taunton.
News of Medeiros’ death left Gee Constance, a Westport resident and animal advocate, with an “unsatisfying” feeling.
“A lot of us certainly wanted to see him in prison although we knew because of his age that there was a chance it wouldn’t happen,” Gee said. “But it certainly should have. We certainly wanted to see him at trial, with all the evidence that was found on his property.”
Authorities said approximately 1,400 animals were found on Medeiros’ farm nearly two years ago in overcrowded, overheated and dangerous living conditions. In some cases, animals were living in such deep manure waste that their hooves had rotted off and they were suffering from painful eye, intestinal and skin ailments.
Among the animals found on Medeiros’ property were a variety of species found on separate lots, including dogs, cats, cows, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, chickens and rabbits. Authorities said the animals did not have proper water sources or adequate food, were improperly sheltered, and housed among dangerous debris and other dead animals.
According to court documents, Westport police began investigating the farm on July 11, 2016, after receiving a 911 call that two Rotweillers — after having been starved and deprived of water — had left Lot 16 on Medeiros’ farm and attacked a number of goats on another lot.
Medeiros’ co-defendants all still have their cases pending in Superior Court, according to court records.
“We're still hoping that some of the defendants will be brought to trial so that the evidence will be available for the larger public to see,” Gee said.
This story will be updated if more information becomes available.
Email Brian Fraga at bfraga@heraldnews.com