The suspected murderer of former Iowa State golf standout Celia Barquin Arozamena plans to plead guilty, according to a letter the man wrote to the judge of his case, which was obtained by The Des Moines Register.
Collin Richards, 22, is accused of killing Arozamena on the morning of September 17, 2018 at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames, Iowa.
“I do plead guilty”: Letter from Collin Richards to Story County. Richards accused of murdering Celia Barquin Arozamena. #iacourts #CBA https://t.co/e5HI19dB12 pic.twitter.com/jM6Snbncxm
— Mario Rossi (@mariovrossi) March 14, 2019
College Golf Star Murdered On Local Course
“I would like to take care of my case, I would like to do whatever it is to move forward ending the case ple [sic] of guilty if it takes that thank you & sorry,” Richards wrote. “I do plead guilty.”
News break in the Celia Barquín Arozamena case: Collin Richards sent a letter to the judge pleading guilty to murder. More court dates to come, but finally some closure. My Golf Mag story about Celia, and Collin, and the tragic intersection of their lives: https://t.co/Oub80VZUij
— Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) March 15, 2019
District Judge Bethany Currie reviewed the letter on Thursday and ordered Richards’ attorneys to discuss it and determine if they want to request a hearing as a result of the letter. Judge Currie said the court will have no further comment on the letter.
Richards had previously pleaded not guilty and is slated to go to trial in September.