Finally freed, alleged captive said to be malnourished

BY PHILLIP LUCAS, Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: September 06, 2012

F AMILY AND FRIENDS of William "Willie" Richardson, a deaf and mute 63-year-old man who was allegedly kidnapped and locked in the basement of a house in Southwest Philadelphia for months, say the man is malnourished but happy to be home.

His alleged captor, Dwyane Young, 56, was arrested earlier this week and is being held on $1 million bail in the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility. He faces 13 criminal charges, including kidnapping, forgery, theft by deception and false imprisonment, according to court documents.

Richardson's family said he worked as a handyman at a plumbing company on 19th Street near Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia and went missing from that area early this year.

Neighbors on Wheeler Street near 56th - where Richardson was allegedly starved and imprisoned with little more than a makeshift commode - said they didn't know much about Young.

It was unclear how much money Young allegedly stole from Richardson. His relatives said the man received between $500 and $600 a month in Social Security payments.

Police could not comment Wednesday night and said they were still investigating.

Young has a criminal record, including six arrests dating back to 1986.

Contact Phillip Lucas at lucasp@ phillynews.com or 215-854-5914.