A 62-year-old man from New York, Richard J. Fox, has been charged with two counts of murder after authorities linked him to the deaths of two women whose remains were discovered near each other on a hiking trail in Portland, New York.
The Erie County District Attorney’s Office announced on February 13 that Fox is accused of killing Marquita Mull, 50, and Cassandra Watson, whose exact age wasn’t given. The case started unfolding back in September 2021 when a hiker came across a human skull on the Chautauqua Rails to Trails near Woleben Road. The next day, authorities found more remains nearby. It was later confirmed that the skull belonged to Watson, while the other remains were identified as Mull.
Investigators believe Watson had been missing for over a decade, making it difficult to determine her identity at first. Finally, in December 2024, they were able to confirm it was her. According to District Attorney Mike Keane, Watson and Fox were in a relationship around 2003 and 2004, which is when authorities think Fox allegedly killed her. She was estimated to be around 40 years old when she disappeared.
As for Mull, prosecutors say Fox killed her much more recently—sometime around June 2021. Authorities believe she got into Fox’s vehicle in Buffalo, and from there, he allegedly took her life before dumping her body on the trail in Portland. Unlike Watson, Mull did not appear to have any prior connection to Fox.
Fox, who has a criminal history as a convicted sex offender, grew up in the area where both women’s remains were found. Investigators believe that his familiarity with the remote location played a role in where he chose to hide their bodies. According to Keane, authorities suspect that both Watson and Mull were strangled.
Fox was first arrested in January in connection with Mull’s death and was formally charged for Watson’s murder on February 13. He is also facing four additional charges for failing to report as a sex offender. Currently, he is being held without bail.
His next court appearance is set for April 30, and his trial is scheduled to begin on October 30.
