He Admitted to Killing Two Women Decades Apart — Now Authorities Say a Third Victim Has Been Found

Prosecutors indict Buffalo man already serving 40 years as sheriff labels him a “serial killer”

A man already imprisoned for two brutal murders in upstate New York is now facing new charges after prosecutors announced he has been indicted for the killing of a third woman, deepening fears that more victims may still be linked to his past.

Authorities say the case of Richard Fox, 62, has evolved from a shocking double homicide into what law enforcement now openly describes as a serial killer investigation.

In November, Fox was sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to murdering Cassandra Watson, 40, and Marquita Mull, 50 — killings that occurred nearly 20 years apart.

Now, prosecutors say Fox has been indicted for second-degree murder in the death of Crystal Curthoys, 32, a woman who disappeared in January 2023.

The indictment was announced this week by the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office, marking a major escalation in an already disturbing case.

“We Believe He Is a Serial Killer”

Following Fox’s November sentencing, James Quattrone, Sheriff of Chautauqua County, publicly stated that he considers Fox a serial killer, adding that investigators believe he may be responsible for two or three additional murders beyond those already charged.

That warning now appears prescient.

Fox remains held without bail in the Niagara County Jail, where he awaits his next court appearance scheduled for January 5, 2026.

Human Remains Found Hidden Beneath Basement Stairs

The investigation into Fox widened earlier this year after police searched a home in Niagara Falls where Fox previously lived.

According to authorities, officers discovered near-skeletal human remains wrapped in plastic and a tarp, concealed beneath a staircase in the basement. The body had been boarded over in an apparent effort to hide it permanently.

Using dental records, investigators later confirmed the remains belonged to Crystal Curthoys.

When the discovery was made, police initially labeled Fox a “person of interest.” The new indictment formally connects him to her death.

A Pattern Spanning Decades

Investigators say Fox had a romantic relationship with Cassandra Watson and is believed to have strangled her sometime between 2003 and 2004. Her remains were not positively identified until 2024.

Marquita Mull disappeared from Buffalo’s Broadway district in June 2021. Fox later confessed to killing both women, telling police he left their bodies near a remote area along the Chautauqua Rails-to-Trails path in Portland, New York.

The third alleged killing, prosecutors say, suggests a chilling consistency: vulnerable women, long gaps between crimes, and deliberate concealment of bodies.

Growing Questions About Additional Victims

Law enforcement officials have not ruled out further charges. The sheriff’s earlier comments — that Fox could be tied to more unsolved cases — continue to loom over the investigation.

Fox’s attorney has not responded to requests for comment.

For now, the case stands as a grim reminder of how long some violent offenders can evade full accountability — and how answers may still lie buried in decades-old disappearances.

As prosecutors prepare for the next phase, families across western New York are watching closely, hoping this expanding investigation finally brings long-overdue truth and justice.