Man drove around for days with dead fiancee inside a plastic tote, packed body with charcoal briquettes to mask the smell in storage unit: DA

A antheral is facing charges successful Washington state and Oregon aft helium allegedly killed his fiancee and drove astir with her assemblage successful a integrative tote for days earlier helium hid the remains successful a retention unit.

Richard Michael Robinson, 59, is charged with second-degree murder successful Washington authorities and maltreatment of a corpse successful Oregon successful the decease of Meihong "Kiki" He.

The Dalles Police Department began investigating connected July 29, 2025, erstwhile quality remains were recovered from a tote successful a retention portion connected West 6th Street. The remains were aboriginal identified arsenic He, a Chinese nationalist who was past seen connected May 25, 2024, successful Glenwood, a agrarian country successful southwest Washington.

Cops identified Robinson arsenic the suspect. U.S. Marshals took him into custody successful Colorado connected Aug. 25, 2025.

Portland Fox affiliate KPTV and section quality tract Columbia Community Connection obtained a probable origin apprehension affidavit that allegedly details the killing. Authorities archetypal focused connected Robinson erstwhile He's sister reported her missing. She said she past spoke with He connected May 25, 2024, and she subsequently could not scope her. Robinson and He were expected to beryllium joined 5 days aft her disappearance.

Then cops received connection astir a suspicious antheral digging 8-foot-deep holes with a backhoe connected spot that was not his extracurricular Glenwood connected June 3, 2024.

Police identified the antheral arsenic Robinson. He reportedly claimed the holes were for a septic tank, but the spot owners said they had nary cognition of Robinson. There was seemingly thing wrong the holes.

Asked astir He, Robinson claimed helium dropped her disconnected to spell sportfishing successful Underwood, Washington, the affidavit says. But pressed for further details, Robinson reportedly kept changing his story. First, helium allegedly said she was progressive successful enactment work. Then helium said a Chinese transgression enactment was aft her, according to the affidavit.

Investigators questioned him respective times without result.

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Her remains were located successful a 77-gallon integrative tote successful the retention unit. The assemblage was wrapped successful integrative and tied unneurotic with ratchet straps and zip ties, the affidavit reportedly said. A aesculapian examiner determined she died from asphyxiation, and authorities judge she was inactive live erstwhile Robinson allegedly stuffed her successful the tote. To disguise the smell, Robinson allegedly packed the tote with charcoal briquettes.

The affidavit reportedly said that Robinson drove astir with He's assemblage stuffed successful the tote successful the backmost of his truck, adjacent going to his daughter's day party, wherever helium told her helium did "something bad."

The remains were recovered aft idiosyncratic took possession of the retention portion due to the fact that Robinson stopped paying for it.

Robinson remains successful the Klickitat County Jail. His adjacent tribunal day for the Oregon lawsuit is scheduled for Aug. 18.