Collin Daniel Richards requests plea change, court not taking further action on letter
A mugshot of Collin Daniel Richards from his Sept. 17 arrest for the murder of ISU student Celia Barquin Arozamena. Richards is being held without bond at the Story County Jail.
March 15, 2019
Collin Daniel Richards, who has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Iowa State student Celia Barquín Arozamena, sent a handwritten, unsigned letter to the court Thursday, requesting to change his plea to guilty.
After reviewing the letter, Judge Bethany Currie issued an order asking Siebrecht and Ted Fisher, Richards’ other attorney, to discuss the letter with Richards and determine if they would like to ask for a hearing.
The court will not be taking further action at this time, according to the order.
Richards wrote in the letter he “would like to do [whatever] it is to move forward ending the case,” including changing his plea to guilty.
“Thank you & sorry I do plead guilty,” Richards wrote.
Richards was charged with murdering Arozamena on Sept. 18 and initially entered a plea of not guilty on Oct. 15.
Aaron Siebrecht, Richards’ attorney, did not respond to request for comment by time of publication.
A trial is currently set for Sept. 10.
