Trial For Man Accused Of Killing Young Croydon Woman In Crash Begins

The homicide by vehicle and third-degree murder trial for a man from Bristol Township’s Croydon section began before a jury in Doylestown Tuesday.

The defense attorney representing Louis Gene Demora, 53, told the court the violent crash that killed 22-year-old Jenna Richards just before Christmas last year was a “tragic accident that happened in a split second,” while the prosecution opened the trial by stating it was a “crash of such violence that a vehicle was nearly torn in half with a young lady sitting inside it.”

According to authorities, Demora was trying to kill himself when he drove his GMC Jimmy just under 90 mph along 25-mile River Road that chilly December evening. Demora was under the influence of heroin, cocaine and Xanax when his SUV struck Richards’ 2001 Nissan Sentra at Cedar Avenue.

“I am dead. I am dead. I only wanted to hurt myself,” Demora allegedly told an officer after the crash.

In court, it was revealed that Demora reportedly told at least four witnesses he was only trying to hurt himself when the wreck happened.

Croydon Fire Company Chief Tom Tryon and his wife June were heading home from a concert at Keystone Elementary School with their kids when the call for the wreck came in and they responded.

June Tryon testified that Demora walked up behind her at the scene and said, “I didn’t mean to hurt anybody. I just wanted to commit suicide.”

Jenna Richard’s father said he was wrapping Christmas gifts in the family’s Croydon home when a friend called and asked why helicopters were flying above. He walked the two-and-half blocks to the scene and learned his 22-year-old daughter, a respected student athlete, was dead.

“[Demora] did kill Jenna Richards. He did so while high on heroin and while driving 88 miles per hour, nearly cutting her car in half,” Deputy District Attorney Robert James told the court.

Defense attorney Michael Lacson said he would make the case that Demora did not intend to crash into anyone and an expert would testify that the crash was caused by Richards turning in the path of Demora’ speeding SUV.

“The prosecution can’t prove to you that he is a murderer because he didn’t cause the accident,” the defense attorney told the jury.

“She never had a chance,” James said.

After receiving approval from Judge Brian McGuffin, the jury was taken outside to see the wreckage of Richard’s Nissan.

At the debris-strewn scene in Croydon, Demora’s SUV was flipped in the road and Richard’s Nissan was thrown into two vehicles parked in driveways along River Road.

An autopsy conducted the day after the crash concluded Richards had died from significant head trauma and internal injuries suffered during the accident, court papers stated.