pendragon

Jo Ann Richards and Mark Richards of the Earth Defense Headquarters (EDH) present a story that reaches back generations. Mark Richards is serving a life sentence without parole for the murder of Richard Baldwin, a crime that became known as the “Pendragon” murder. Years after the crime, he again came to public attention with claims to have been a captain in a secret space program who led an attack against aliens to reclaim a secret base at Dulce, New Mexico, and battled on distant asteroids. He cited a remarkable family history that includes numerous covert activities affecting global interests and top level alien contact.

The claims made by Richards have been told on youtube videos, blogs, podcasts, web sites, MUFON meetings and conferences. Jo Ann has been a featured speaker. Mark has been interviewed numerous times by Kerry Cassidy (Project Camelot). Indeed, Cassidy calls Richards a “classic case of the government framing someone who they feel may be turning against them from within the military.” That alone would warrant our attention if it were true.

Most of Jo Ann and Mark’s stories are based on their information alone. Were Werner Von Braun and Disney cloned? (Cassidy, Second interview.) Does Val Thor really come from Venus, which is said to be a great place in 65 other dimensions apart from our own? Do the reptilians back ISIS and meet in grottos under the Vatican? (Cassidy, Third Interview). Was there really a 1952 “ambassadorial visit by Prince Nagadraconis, whose reptilian species was from Earth” at Hamilton AFB in Marin County, California? (2009 conference notes, cited below).

Ultimately, these stories challenge fundamental notions of history, science, and culture. Carl Sagan once observed that extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. Certainly we should not accept an extraordinary claim on face value, without requiring that it be proven to the fullest extent. As former MUFON director James Carrion warned, “Make sure that you check their source. Make sure you check every single fact. You better be a fact checker, because if you’re not a fact checker, you’re gonna be at the recipient end of disinformation, hoaxes and just being led down the primrose path that a lot of ufologists find themselves.” (The UFO Trail, “James Carrion to Podcasters: Deception Inherent to Ufology.”)

The focus of this article is therefore on Mark himself. Although it is up to Richards to prove his claims, we can check parts of the story that can be confirmed and look at some of the documentation that have been ignored by Cassidy and others. Therefore, we start from the beginning with his family history, which ultimately takes us to both Mark and Pendragon.

ELLIS RICHARDS, SR. / BERT SPARKS TAYLOR

We are first introduced to Mark’s grandfather, Ellis Richards, Sr. The 2009 conference notes state:

Mr. Richards was born in 1899 and lived most of his adult life in Illinois. He married in 1920 and had two children, including Ellis, Jr, Mark’s father. By 1925, he was working at Coyne Electrical School (now called Coyne College, but never an Institute), which specialized in practical training. He became a school superintendent and remained there until his death in May 1943, after he fell while pruning a tree. His administrative duties, as assistant to the school president, appear to have kept him busy during the time that he is now said to be working on secret projects. (See 1925 City Directory; U.S. Census, 1930, 1940; 1943 Death Record [Occupation listed as Gen. Supt. Ele School]; Buckley v. Coyne Elect. School [referring to administrative role of Richards].)

Richards wrote Diesel Engines and Diesel Electric Power, “a complete practical book of instruction on diesel engines, their construction, principles, operation, care and adjustment.” (Chicago, F.J. Drake & Co.,1939.) No other title is listed in the world catalog of libraries (Melvyl). His affiliations included associations related to electrical maintenance and refrigeration.

The public record therefore indicates that Richards’s work was directed toward practical applications. He obtained no patents. There is no nothing to indicate that he was a leading expert on space flight, worked with Tesla, or invented an anti-matter drive. He died several months before the Philadelphia Experiment was said to be conducted and a few months after the Manhatten Project was authorized.

Taylor was involved in the construction of an advanced airship, powered by Tesla’s electric engines. The airship was seen in late 1896 and early 1897 from California to the Midwestern United States. He was one of Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in the Spanish American War, and one of the original “Men in Black.” He also managed to be in England and Germany in the early 1900s when there had been mysterious airship sightings. He was friendly with Tesla for many years. Bert was murdered in 1929. The secret airship plans were passed down in Bert’s family to Mark’s mother and then to Mark.

The EDH offers no documentation to support this story. Taylor was an Indiana farmer who married Mark’s grandmother in 1912. They moved for a time to a farm in Bemidji, Minnesota, where Lois (Mark’s mother) was born, before returning to Indiana where he supervised an orchard. He was murdered in 1929 by a young apple picker after Taylor allegedly called him “a dirty no-account Kentuckian.” He is not listed in the roster of the Rough Riders and there is no record of him serving in the war with Spain. This history clearly makes any connection with Tesla improbable at best.

There were numerous reports of airships in 1896-1897. One California newspaper wrote, “Unless you’ve seen the airship or flying machine you are not worth spending much time with.” Nothing, however, links those sightings to Taylor. Several patents for airships were filed during this period, but none attributed to Taylor. The airships have been linked to various phenomenon and hoaxes, so if the plans were given to Mark, the EDH could provide a valuable historical service and make them available for evaluation. Release of the plans would be in keeping with the EDH’s stated purpose that includes distribution of

Even assuming that the Men in Black exists, their first reported appearance was in 1947 and they are usually regarded as being sinister or part of a strange phenomenon. The assertion that Taylor is an original member is somewhat surprising, especially in light of claims that the MIB attacked Mark in 1962 (see below).

Jo Ann states that Lois’s “family had made such an impact on [Marin County] that there was a state park named after one relative.” (Knights of the Cold War.) We could find no connection between Lois and Samuel P. Taylor, who once owned the land and ran a paper mill on the site of the state park.

ELLIS RICHARDS, JR

Ellis Richards, Jr., Mark’s father, is referred to in the EDH’s Dulce Report as the “infamous Dutchman” who was involved in any number of top level intelligence projects. The claims involving Ellis are too numerous to fully list here. As a young man, it is said that he worked with Tesla – who trained him in his secrets of electronics and time travel – and tested the Death Ray. It is stated that he was an accomplished pilot who became a Major. He spoke several languages and had degrees in business and law. The 2009 conference notes state that he “was the first man to pilot the RAND atomic rocket of the late ’40s, German disc-craft and captured alien saucers.” He was a high level intelligence officer who took part in Operation Highjump in Antarctica (1947); met with aliens; fought in Pakistan (1959) against the same threats as today; served 12 months off-world; and helped the Dalai Lama escape China in 1960, keeping in correspondence with him over the years. It is claimed that Ellis was the intelligence officer who met with aliens at Holloman Air Force Base in 1964. (“Knights of the Cold War,” linked below.)

According to the EDH (2009 Conference Notes), by 1950 Ellis was part of an elite group stationed at Hamilton AFB in Marin County, California:

At Hamilton, the best-of-the-best in the Air Force were gathered including the man they called the Dutchman – Lt. Ellis Loyd Richards. By 1950, he was a quietly cocky officer of an elite cadre of madmen known as the “Fighter Mafia.” These were the men that the most secret organizations like International Security and Majestic 12 called on when an enemy had to be stopped by air – or space – power. Hamilton AFB was one of 3 bases on the West Coast that had 3-9 flying saucers – built for the US by Avro in Canada – housed there since the late ’40s.

Majestic-12 is regarded by most researchers as a hoax. For purposes of this article, the claims involving a fleet of saucers built by Avro is easier to determine. Avro was a Canadian aircraft company that formed a special projects group. An aircraft designer, “Jack” Frost, believed that the Nazis had deveoped a saucer shaped craft and wanted to design a disc that could fly at Mach 4 and reach an altitude of 100,000 feet. It was intended to be able to launch vertically from primitive sites to intercept long range bombers and even replace the helicopter. In 1952, Canada provided initial funds to begin development.

A 1955 article in Look magazine suggested that UFOs were Soviet-designed craft. It seemed time to develop our own saucers and the US Air Force became interested in the project. Avro obtained funding for what became known as Project 1794 and conducted tests to demonstrate the viability of the design – when the engines ran into significant problems, two smaller prototypes were built in 1959. Over the next two years, the design was tested and modified, but it never reached heights above three feet, with a 35 mph speed. Funding was pulled in 1961. The two completed craft are now in museums. Hamilton could not have served as a base for Avro saucers, particularly before the craft was designed or tested.

The EDH also claims that Ellis was an Air Force liaison to Alameda NAS, where he worked with Admiral Nimitz. Even assuming that such a position existed – and that a fighter pilot would hold it – Nimitz retired from office in 1947. There is no record of him subsequently working out of Alameda.

Ellis Richards is said to have been one of the important figures in the 1961 “Exeter Interstellar Treaty Conference” in England. He brought his family on this trip, which included visits with Peter Ustinov, Ian Fleming, Douglas Fairbanks, Aristotle Onassis, and dinner at Buckingham Palace. Fleming taught Mark to drive. Lady Jane helped take care of the children and they soul-traveled through dimensional gates. The June 18,1961, conference itself brought together some of the top figures from this world. Lyndon Johnson is said to have attended although his diary places him in Virginia. Various factions tried to advance their own agendas. Ellis provided valuable insight and worked with Admiral Nimitz to try to stop all further human abductions. Other species argued that humans should surrender the planet. (Knights of the Cold War; EDH Exeter Report.)

Mark’s mother reportedly went “shopping in London with Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret – both incognito – on more than one occasion.” The one time that Elizabeth and Margaret left the palace diary was not simply to do shopping, but perhaps the story became the basis for Mark’s tale. Mark goes on to claim that the Richards family attended royal events and had tea with the Queen Mother. Ellis was only a captain at time (1961) but was allegedly well known to a number of high ranking people, from Churchill to Admiral Mountbatten. (Knights of the Cold War.)

Ellis is said to have been one of the co-founders of the National Reconnaissance Office and was involved with many of its projects for 20 years. He was also the military intelligence liaison to President Kennedy, as well as his personal friend. (Knights of the Cold War.) National Reconnaissance Office does not mention Ellis Richards as either a co-founder or “pioneer.” The Kennedy Library lists military advisors and assistants who worked with the president. Ellis is not named.

Deactivation work began on the Hornet in 1970. All operable machinery and technological devices on board were disabled upon decommissioning. The ship was then mothballed at Puget Sound. (Pictured here in 1974, while mothballed with its aircraft elevator removed.) It remained there until it was towed for scrap, before being restored as a museum. (Navy History.) There is no record of it being used during this period. It is beyond reason that a ship like this – with all of its size, a large crew, its history, and the work required before it could be activated and used in service – could have been moved from a very visible location without documents or attention.

It is also said that the major ordered a 1979 fight to take control of underground operations from aliens at Dulce, New Mexico. Mark again led the actual battle (see below).

The EDH asserts that Ellis’s cover was that of a procurement officer until he “officially retired” from the Air Force in 1966. (Conference Notes.) The EDH does not explain how his “cover” would allow him to serve as a fighter pilot, cofound the NRO, or serve as a presidential military liaison – all of which are very visible roles.

Military records available online (National Archive, WWII Enlistments) document that Ellis joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 as a private. At the time, he had a high school education and electrical manufacturing skills. He became an aviation cadet. There is no doubt, then, that Ellis Richards was a pilot in the early stages of his career. However, aviation records list him as being involved with four accidents between 1943 and 1952 – the latter occurred during a landing approach after an uneventful flight and was particularly serious, resulting in deep wounds, a concussion, a broken neck, and other injuries. It left Ellis partially paralyzed. His physical health after the accident is not consistent with the claim that Ellis engaged in numerous dramatic exploits and continued to be a fighter pilot until he headed earth security. (California Magazine, Jan. 1983, “Medieval Murder in Marin,” linked below [describing Ellis as frail and partially paralyzed as a result of the latter plane crash]; Reno Gazette, Aug. 2,1982, Interview with the Richards Family [Ellis retired after disabling injuries]; 1984 letter to trial court and Reporters Transcript, p. 3056 [both describing Ellis as “severely handicapped”].)

This problem was illustrated in Mark’s tenth interview with Cassidy, where it is claimed that around the time of the crime, Ellis returned from fighting aliens and later had to be admitted into a military hospital. The sources cited above provide direct evidence that he was severely disabled throughout that time period as a result of the 1952 crash. Indeed, his 1997 Death Certificate notes as causes of death that Ellis suffered from a fractured cervical spine and quadriplegia for 42 yrs. Again, would someone with these conditions be fighting aliens?

Ellis’s military assignments confirm that he was a fighter pilot early in his career – although he was not stationed at Hamilton until September 1951, later than what the EDH has stated. After the 1952 accident, Richards was a patient for almost 7 months, again indicating the seriousness of his injury. After that, he had administrative assignments, including graduate study in administration at Wright Patterson (AFFIT). He served as a procurement officer in Pakistan, France, and Michigan – duties that preclude serving as a military intelligence liaison to President Kennedy or working with Admiral Nimitz.

It has been noted that both Ellis and Mark Richards are enshrined in the Wall of Honor at the National Air and Space Museum. The wall includes anyone who chooses to honor themselves or another, without requiring documentation, as long as a financial contribution is made to the museum. No special credence can be ascribed to this.

The EDH has provided no documentation substantiating Ellis’s claimed degrees. Nothing has been released to show that he was a close friend of either President Kennedy or the Dalai Lama. His family should have personal items, a private photograph or correspondence, that could be released to verify these claims.

It can be asked if a retired major (a field grade rank compared to middle management) would have been given command of the earth’s defense after Admiral Nimitz died; if the head of international security would have worked in Marin County – it’s not exactly a work-from-home type of job; if an “infamous” character known as the “Dutchman” with various public roles would have escaped attention; why his name is not mentioned with many of events that have been reported; and, why there is no other corroboration for the claims involving more public activity.

The EDH claims a long lineage for the Richards and Taylor families. A 1996 EDH “Ancestor and Genealogy Report” lists various sources, including the Scottish crown, “blood of the Czar” and Pocahontas. (EDH Report List.) Jo Ann states that the Richards are “blooded and would still be titled had the family not left Germany. They are members of the German/Dutch House of Nassau/Orange whose family tree is said to wind back to the Norse God Odin and the House of David. They are distantly related to many of the royal families in Europe.” (Knights of the Cold War.) It is not certain where the Richards family might lie in the royal family tree, which reaches back to the 10th century rather than Odin.[1]

It is claimed that “a number of sources” state that Mark’s father was the youngest member of the Knight’s Templar in the 20th Century and turned down many offers of knighthood. Mark states that “men like Father lived with a different set of rules.” Mark describes Ellis as a “Germanic prince ready to ride with the heroes of Valhalla, at Odin’s side, against any and all evil.” While there are obvious factual problems with these undocumented claims, perhaps they are more important for the way that they shed light upon Mark and the events in his life that led to his arrest and conviction.

MARK RICHARDS
The primary source for the EDH information is Mark Richards. Mark is now serving a sentence of life without parole in the California state prisons. The story of the crime and the events around his trial are important, but it is his “other life” that first draws our attention. As much as Mark’s family is said to have lived an remarkable life, Mark relates that his own heroic adventures began when he was a child and eventually took him off-world as a member of the secret space program.
There are too many clams to list here:

In 1957, Mark was with Captain Gordon Cooper at Edwards AFB and spotted a UFO. Cooper filmed the object and Ellis took the film to Washington. (Conference Notes.)
His ties were not limited to aliens or space adventures. Mark states that his father was good friends with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Mark danced with Bacall at a Mark Hopkins event when he was five or six. (Cassidy, Third Interview.)
After President Kennedy’s 1961 speech committing the Unted States to put a man on the moon, he and his father met the President in his limousine. Kennedy asked Mark to deliver a top secret message to Charles de Gaulle. Mark was just seven-years old, but Kennedy is said to have trusted him. (Knights of the Cold War.)
Mark met aliens at various times growing up, including a 9 foot reptilian prince who was at the 1961 conference. In 1962, “Mark and his babysitter were attacked by human and non-human [Men in Black], engaging Mark in a fierce gun battle with the enemy. He held his own, defending himself and his babysitter who’d been immobilized by a sonic weapon, until his father and his men could come to his aid.” (Knights of the Cold War)
From 1966-1970, Mark participated in various tests involving psychic abilities and remote viewing at Letterman Army Medical Center in the San Francisco presidio. (Cassidy, 7th Interview).

Jo Ann summarizes some of Mark’s stated accomplishments:

Richards is not listed in the database of Rhodes Scholars. No documentation is offered to support most of his other claims, such as a degree in quantum physics or various national and international titles. Undoubtedly, he graduated from Dominican College in 1976 with a history degree. Mark fenced in his spare time, he tried to make a film, and appears to be a prolific writer, judging by the EDH reports and the books sold on the Dragonhill site (linked below). He was an unlicensed contractor at the time of the crime. (Photo: Richards pictured in 1976.)

California magazine wrote that Mark was a “charismatic storyteller.” It was reported that after meeting Baldwin, Mark said that he had piloted the Goodyear blimp and filmed television shows. He claimed some of Baldwin’s work for his own. There seemed to be little he did not know. Mark tried to start a business that designed electric cars. Notably, Mark said nothing about having been an officer who served in Vietnam. (See California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.”)

Part of this became intwined with a darker side. According to one person who knew Richards from childhood, Mark always had “bigger than life” tales about various adventures – from car racing to serving as a bodyguard to a Colombia “businessman.” He “borrowed” money to try to produce his screenplay and narrowly avoided arrest for other matters. He described Mark as a “skunk.” At trial, a witness who was a former business partner described Mark as having a “silver forked tongue.”

Mark began his military career as a teenager. At the age of 13, he was on active duty in the Navy due to his high security clearance and participated in several training courses. While in high school he was working on a top-secret project at Lockheed and was also a consultant in Vietnam. Mark joined the army after high school, and was a lieutenant during the Vietnam War flying helicopters. In 1973, he went to Chile pretending to be just a student while acting as a courier for his father. Unfortunately, he got caught up in the fighting as the military coup occurred. In April 1975, Mark was involved with the evacuation of Saigon.

To assert that Richards was on active duty in the Navy at the age of 13 stretches all credibility. Mark has said that when he was 16 (1969), he was given an Army “operational commission” to consult with the Stanford Research Institute. (Cassidy, 6th Interview.) There is no military authority for giving a 16-year old an “operational commission.” Moreover, the SRI programs began in 1972. (See, e.g., Journal of Scientific Exploration, articles by Puthoff and Targ.) This site has found nothing in the formerly classified reports about government sponsored psychic research or the articles cited above that links Letterman with such experiments or notes any involvement by the Army at that time.[2]

Mark graduated from high school in 1971 and attended the College of Marin after that, where he was on the 1972 honor roll.. In October 25, 1973, Mark was arrested for insurance fraud, related to activities that summer, while walking to one of his classes. Although the charge was dismissed with the help of his attorney, Carl Shapiro, it demonstrates that Mark was going to classes during the time that he now claims to have been a lieutenant.

Mark’s class schedule and other activities also make it unlikely that he was visiting Chile during the tragic events of September 11,1973. It is, however, another curious claim. If true, did Mark help destabilize or overthrow the elected government?

Mark transferred to Dominican College and graduated in 1976. He got excellent grades and was active in school affairs. In 1974, he started a new school newspaper, the Metamorphosis, that he pledged would “try to keep most of the ivy up while trying to express some of the better new ideas that could help the students at Dominican find their own goals.” Mark participated in the Model United Nations, and was active in sports. He helped write a walking tour tour of San Rafael. He met his future wife, Caryn, there. A letter in the court clerk’s transcript states that Mark housesat for a professor during the latter’s extended summer trips, both before and after graduation, leaving him even less time for a covert life. (See California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin”; Reno Gazette, Aug. 2,1982, Interview with the Richards Family.)

The problems with the timeline are made clear by Jo Ann’s insistence that Mark got his first degree after being in Vietnam. (Super Solder Interview, Nov. 2018.) Since Mark attended college after high school and graduated from Dominican in 1976, he could not have served in the military as Jo Ann claims.

It was not easy to be a helicopter pilot. Those who served had to go through at least two intense trainings. This alone would have taken more than six months. The tour of duty lasted a year. Pilots and other soldiers counted down the days. After that, the pilot was reassigned for the period of enlistment or voluntarily undertook an additional tour. An Army lieutenant (many pilots were warrant officers) was not a job to take between the first and second year of college.

It is not certain exactly when Mark is alleged to have switched from being an officer in the Army to the Navy. The Dragonhill News site states, “After Vietnam, he lateraled to Navy captain and was involved with Air Force Special Forces.” Transferring from one branch to another is not like being traded to a different major league team. It is a rare and complicated process that can take years. If true, there is no reason why the EDH could not substantiate this claim with copies of the paperwork or other proof.

Jo Ann states that as a Navy officer, Mark served with the Air Force Special Operations. (Super Soldier interview, Nov. 2018.) The Air Force Special Operations Command is limited to Air Force personnel and the command was not activated until 1983, after Mark’s arrest.

Jo Ann also asserts that both Ellis and Mark Richards were part of the USAF Space Command. (Cassidy Interview, 2012; EDH Dulce Report.) The Command was not activated until 1982, after the events in question and would not have included a retired officer or a Navy captain.

In any event, there is no record of Mark being in the military. The only documentation the EDH has provided would place Mark in Navy combat at the age of 15. It is not sourced and has several problems. (See Footnote 2 2.) Mark has provided no documentation to support either his claimed service as an adult or his ability to fly helicopters and other aircraft. Mark has never identified the unit he claims to have served with in Vietnam. He has provided no photos of him in uniform. It is another case of stolen valor that reflects upon the credibility of any statement made by Mark or Jo Ann.[3]
Mark states that his most active period as a space captain was from 1976-1982. During this period, Mark allegedly flew various craft, including the SR-71 and alien ships, as well as operating naval vessels. He interacted with at least seven alien species. Among the vessels he is said to have commanded was one of nine Orion-class “atomic battle cruisers,” whose designers included a claimed relative of Mark’s mother. He is said to have served off-planet, fought alongside Prince Nagadraconius, and taken part in several important space battles with aliens, such as the battle of China Gates, described in a report linked below.

Richards also claims to have headed “Operation Moon Dust” in 1978. (Dragonhill News 2019; 2009 Conference Notes; Knights of the Cold War; Cassidy Interview, 2012.). Operation Moondust was a United States Air Force project that began in the 1950s and was tasked with recovering objects and debris that had fallen to earth from space. Documents obtained by researchers refer to UFOs, but the use of that term did not necessarily refer to alien craft and there is no evidence that Project Moondust recovered anything of that nature. Regardless, the project involved units assigned to Fort Belvoir (Virginia) that were directed from Wright-Patterson. As discussed below, Mark was in California and involved with other endeavors during that time.

In addition to conventional aircraft, Mark claims to gave flown Minerva, a biological UFO. Mark was the only pilot who had the telepathic ability to do this – nine others died. Minerva did not like a crew, so normally he just had one other person, although it could expand and had taken zoo animals on research missions. The furthest Mark travelled was near Alpha Centauri. (Cassidy, 7th Interview.)

There is no doubt that Mark was busy with other projects closer to home throughout this time. News reports documented that in 1976, Mark tried to produce a screen play that was based upon the romantic ventures of Tristan in 6th Century England. Richards had written a paper about Tristan while he was in college. He announced that James Doohan (“Scotty” from Star Trek) had agreed to be in the film, and that the castle-like buildings of the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo would be used. The local newspaper reported receiving dozens of phone calls from people hoping to get a part in the film. It never got off the ground.

The Seminary also played a role in “Futurecastle.” As the Marin Independent Journal reported, in 1977 Mark tried to start a school for future studies there and dreamed of having William Shatner and George Lucas on faculty. It was to offer “innovative academic community dedicated to the origins of a new renaissance.” Mark borrowed money from his parents to rent a hall but apparently never contacted the celebrities. The plan fell through when he could not pay the rent.

Mark became involved with Seriatim: The Journal of Ecotopia. The journal was based on the Ecotopia novel by Nicholas Callenbach, which envisioned a future country in the Pacifc Northwest that was based on ecological values. The Co-Evolution Quarterly described the journal as a “gang of shoestring Ecotopians over there in El Cerrito.” The pictured issue (Winter, 1978) lists Mark as an editor and on staff in ad sales and transport, making it clear that he was very much on earth as part of that group.

Mark was part of the Seriatim core (second from left, pictured in 1978) who sought land to develop their ideas. In the issue shown here, he wrote a report about loading his future wife’s car with 3000 pounds of the journal to take a road trip to visit other Ecotopians and distribute the magazine. At one point, the person he wanted to meet was not at home so Mark crawled through a window to retrieve past issues. He soon ran into various car problems, got a ticket, and drove until massive engine problems occurred. Mark got timely help from a truck driver and the two shared a marijuana joint after he made it to a garage. At the very least, none of this indicates a military career or involvement in a secret space program.

Eventually, before his wedding, Mark decided he needed more substantial work. He and a longtime friend formed a partnership, Engineering Constructors, to remodel houses. (California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.)

In August,1979, Mark was married in Marin County. This is the same month that Mark states that he was injured in a “command roll of Dragon Squadron.” (Dulce Report.) Presumably, this was in the Battle of Vesta where he met the cat-people and commanded a battle cruiser in space as part an alliance to defeat enemy aliens. Mark almost died when his ship was ambushed by the “Trog insect-like species.” (Knights of the Cold War; EDH,”The Battle of Vesta, August 1979.”) Soon after Mark was wounded during the Dulce battle. He was a busy man if he is to be believed.[4]

It is said that the MI6 murdered Mark’s wife and child in the 70s. After Titania’s death, he began to question authority. (Cassidy, 7th Interview.) There is, however, nothing to substantiate this. Mark had, after all, married his college sweetheart after a long and romantic courtship. (California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.”)

Throughout this period, Richards faced financial difficulties as his business was failing. He is reported to have promised his customers more than he could deliver and used unskilled teenagers to complete projects. Engineering Constructors dissolved in 1981 and a check Mark wrote to his former partner bounced – as did checks to his workers. The economic pressures mounted on virtually every aspect of Richards’s life. (California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.”)

Newspapers and magazines at the time of the crime were very interested in learning about Richards and investigated his background. There was no suggestion that he had lived a double life or that there had been unexplained absences. No one even hinted that Mark had been in the military or flew helicopters in Vietnam. There was nothing to indicate any further academic achievements after Mark graduated from college. Although these matters might have provided mitigation, the court record does not show anything that might be consistent with Mark’s current claims.

Richard Baldwin was Mark’s good friend. Lois Richards described Baldwin as Mark’s “best friend.” Baldwin had a business restoring classic cars from a garage on Front Street in San Rafael, just a short distance from the Grateful Dead’s Club Front Studio (something that had nothing to do with the crime but brought Shakedown Street to mind). Richards met Baldwin when he established a business next door. Baldwin double-dated with Mark, Caryn, and her twin sister. He served as an usher at Mark’s wedding and chauffeured the couple after the ceremony.

In one adventure, Mark claimed that Seriatim owed him money. Mark, Baldwin, and a friend went to the magazine office and took a number of things that Mark considered to be his. After that, the magazine stopped publishing. (California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.”)

At the time of the murder Mark was doing contracting work at Baldwin’s house. Baldwin was known to have cash, guns, and marijuana. The prosecution presented testimony that Mark first approached two employees about killing Baldwin, stating that he needed money fast. When that did not work out, he convinced two other teens that he employed – Crossan Hoover and Andrew Campbell – to rob and kill Baldwin.

At its center was Pendragon. Mark had long been working on a book about Pendragon, an Arthurian kingdom set in Marin County. After starting the construction business, he took his took his partner into the Marin Headlands and told him that it would be nice if the area was under his control. Those who knew Mark describe how Pendragon became increasingly real to him. (California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.)

Mark met with a group of teens, including Crossan, to discuss how Pendragon could be established. Richards would be the king, his group would be knights and hold titles such as counts, earls, or dukes. The theological seminary was to be the headquarters; prisoners would be released from San Quentin, laser weapons would defend the area from Angel Island and Mount Tamalpais. Richards claimed that George Lucas was helping to fund the plan. Richards printed a Pendragon newsletter, took the group to critical locations and began to collect weapons. Teens took the plans seriously and testified that the plan was real. One member left the group when Mark became “too weird.” In particular, the prosecutor alleged that Richards used the plan to manipulate Hoover to carry out his directives. Hoover believed in Pendragon and the promise that he would be “Duke of Angel Island.”

Although guns, maps, and other material relating to Pendragon had been found in Mark’s home after the crime, his attorneys dismissed talk of an uprising and the importance of Pendragon: “Mark’s role-model was King Arthur. Pendragon was the dream of a young man who wanted to be King Arthur. Is that evidence of a crime? He has a creative imagination.”

The defense contended that the Pendragon material was simply part of his fantasy book. Mark’s former wife testified that he was working on a book – Imperial Marin. Mark contended that he never intended to take over the county but used the teens as sounding boards for his novel.[5]

Richards also told Hoover that Baldwin was a pedophile, and rapist: “it would be a service to the public to get rid of such a menace.” These accusations enraged Crossan against Baldwin. (Hoover v. Carey.) Mark acknowledged to investigators that he knew Hoover was sensitive against “perverts and homosexuals” and used that to “jerk up” Crossan against Baldwin. Mark stated that he did not know for certain whether Baldwin was gay or bisexual. (See Interview, discussed below.)

Regardless of whether the murder was linked to Pendragon or other influences, the plans proceeded. Richards and the teens met with Baldwin, who offered them oatmeal-raisin cookies. Richards and Hoover went with Baldwin to his garage to look at his classic cars. Andrew testified that he stayed in the house. Upon a prearranged signal from Mark, Hoover committed murder. The killing took place while Andrew was searching Baldwin’s house to carry out theft. Mark told him that the murder had been “bloody” and that he wanted to get things out of the house quickly. The three took a small safe, cash, guns, and marijuana from Baldwin’s house. That same day, Mark bought a boat with proceeds from the crime, which was used to dump Baldwin’s body. A security guard questioned Mark when the group arrived at the marina, but let them pass. The group disposed of the body in the bay after a series of misadventures on the water. Richards did not return home until until 3:00 a.m..

Because of Mark’s financial problems, both Mark’s wife at the time and a former employee were surprised when Mark bought the boat, gifts of jewelry, and video equipment. (Murder in Camelot; California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.”)

Baldwin’s body was found a week after the murder when it floated to the surface. Hoover began to talk about the crime. The investigators received a tip that named Richards as being involved with the killing. The group was arrested three days later as they left Mark’s house in his pickup truck. Cable and plastic sheeting were found in the truck that matched what was used to dispose of the body. Richards used Baldwin’s checks and credit cards to go on a spending spree. Items associated with Baldwin – including guns stolen from the victim – were found in Mark’s possession. Mark’s fingerprints were found on forged checks belonging to Baldwin and a credit application that he had filled out under Baldwin’s name. Witnesses reported seeing a drilled-out safe in Mark’s garage after the murder was committed.

Hoover gave a lengthy statement to the investigators recounting Mark’s involvement in the crime and admitting his own actions. In a separate four hour interview Richards told the investigators that Baldwin had hit his head in Mark’s boat while they were together. He stated that Baldwin was his friend. Mark maintained that he had used Baldwin’s credit cards with his consent, as a way for Baldwin to start to pay off a debt. When the detectives accused Mark of lying, he acknowledged his financial problems and admitted to having taken items from Baldwin’s house after the crime. He said that he helped to cover up the killing, but blamed the killing on the teens.

At trial, Mark was represented by two highly respected attorneys, among the best in the region if not the state (Carl Shapiro and Dennis Riordan). The defense attacked the prosecutor’s chronology and Andrew’s credibility, who testified against Richards under a grant of immunity. They argued that although Richards participated in an attempted coverup of Baldwin’s murder, he had done so only out of misguided loyalty to his employees. Shapiro contended that Andrew, not Mark, should have been on trial for murder.

Mark states that Phillip Dick wanted to testify as an alibi witness but that he was not allowed to do so and that numerous friends were killed to prevent them from testifying. (Cassidy, Interview IV.) Dick died before the crime was committed, two years before Mark’s trial – this makes it doubtful that he could have offered an alibi. That friends died is similarly not substantiated.

The jury deliberated four days before convicting Mark of first degree murder. Mark was stunned, believing that at most he would only be convicted of being an accessory after the fact for helping dispose of the body. After the verdict was announced, he whispered that he had not done the crime, although guilt did not depend on committing the actual murder.

At least one of the jurors stated that Pendragon did not factor into their decision and that there was more than enough evidence apart from Campbell’s testimony to justify their verdict. The trial court found that there was ““overwhelming”” evidence to support the verdict. Although the jurors found that the charged special circumstances (lying in wait and two counts of burglary) were true, the prosecutor had not sought the death penalty. Mark was sentenced to life without parole.

Crossan Hoover was tried after Mark. He was described as a very disturbed individual with serious psychological problems, but the prosecution emphasized that Mark had promised him very real things: money from the crime, a car, a place to live. The prosecutor acknowledged that Richards manipulated Crossan, but the jury rejected an insanity defense. Hoover was sentenced to a 25-years to life term.[6]

The length of the deliberations in the Richards case indicates that the verdict was a close one. Yet, there was no question that Mark was involved with the crime – the only issue at trial was whether he was the mastermind or an accessory who tried to cover up the crime. There is a substantial difference between the two in legal terms, but neither one squares with Mark’s claim of having been a high level operative. The type of character, skills, knowledge, and connections that the latter would possess is at odds with the events surrounding the Baldwin murder.

At the very least, his defense at the time is not consistent with the current claim that he had nothing to do with the crime. Indeed, in asking the court to set aside the special circumstances, the defense argued that Mark’s attempt to cover up the crime, while using the victim’s credit cards and checks, indicated a mental breakdown rather than a moral collapse. (Defense Motion, p. 6.) The one thing that is certain is that it does not indicate that Mark was a space captain.

Jo Ann now maintains that the teens involved all had “New World Order” ties in their families. (Richards, Knights of the Cold War, Aug. 15, 2017.) Nothing about their lives substantiates this claim. Crossan Hoover, for instance, had deep problems. He had been abandoned by his father and was always in trouble. He dropped out of school, moved in with a friend, and started working for Mark. He soon became part of Mark’s Pendragon group. (California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin.”) The only thing tying these teens together was Mark.

Jo Ann Richards and Kerry Cassidy maintain that Mark was off-planet at the time of the crime. Mark has stated that he had recently returned from fighting aliens in the Falklands and was having dinner with his parents. (10th Inteview.) Either alibi rests again upon Mark’s credibility, but it would not necessarily have absolved him of guilt. Mark need not have been present at the crime scene to have instigated it and be criminally liable. Yet, why does all the physical evidence – from the items belonging to Baldwin in Mark’s possession to the boat that Mark purchased the same day of the murder to dispose of Baldwin’s body – establish that he was very much a part of the events on earth? Caryn testified about when Mark left the house and when he returned after the murder. He clearly was not gong off-planet.

Richards is said to be a political prisoner who was framed to keep him quiet or to prevent him from fighting against the New World Order. It is surprising that his father and the various high level contacts could not do a better job of protecting him or rally to his defense. Would honorable people that were named as participating in the Dulce operation – including an astronaut-scientist, an insurance agent, and his father – remain silent while Mark was framed? If Mark was left to present an unconvincing alibi on his own because of secrecy concerns, surely others could have informed investigators or the court that he was on a mission involving national security. If the Secret Space Program did not want Mark to resign and participated in framing Mark to keep him quiet, does that make his father, who headed earth security, part of that operation? If the goal was to keep Mark quiet, that clearly has not worked.

Mark’s revelations about current events present further questions. In 2018, for instance, he claimed to Cassidy that California’s forest fires covered up a battle with alien forces. One has to wonder how he knew this from prison. Mark maintains that he reports to a secret part of the military, yet why would a life prisoner be reporting to anyone other than writers or podcasters? He suggests that he is still involved with operations and is not always in his cell (Cassidy, 10th Interview), but that would be hard to accomplish with prison counts and routines. If Mark was framed because he wanted to leave the secret space program, why is he still involved?[7]

At this point, the only source of information for the claims regarding the Richards family is Mark and Jo Ann. Some find that it has “the ring of truth,” but it also can be said that “the more incredible the lie the more people will believe it.” (As attributed to Bob Lazar.) Mark has long had a gift for mirroring information and making it his own story. (See California Magazine, Medieval Murder in Marin.”) This is apparent in his interviews with Cassidy, providing “a validation of most of what I have been given or know” from her work with Project Camelot. (Cassidy, First Interview.) She has stated that Mark has substantiated things that she knew about when she “tapped into that information psychically.” (Cassidy, Third Interview.) It makes it even more important, when claims are based entirely upon personal credibility or subjective validation, to measure that credibility and to request documentation to support the parts of the story that can be corroborated. Who benefits by not doing so?

The EDH fails to substantiate its primary claims and we know that numerous statements are disproven. If true, the EDH could easily document that Mark was a military officer and combat veteran, has “degrees from Dominican University, McGill University, and USC in history, political science, education, English, and quantum physics,” and was a Rhodes Scholar.[8] (Knights of the Cold War; Dragonhill Books.) Family correspondence or photographs could be released to support claims, from Mark’s service as a helicopter pilot to Ellis’s friendship with the Dalai Lama, Kennedy, or Bogart. The airship plans given to Mark from his grandfather could be made available. Yet all we have is Mark’s stories. Or perhaps his looks, as Cassidy stated: “He comes from a Germanic-English background. He has blue eyes and light skin and looks fairly Germanic. He was definitely a high-ranking officer in the Secret Space Program.” (Cassidy, First Interview.)

There is no reason to regard Richards as anything but just another prisoner with a bent toward fantasy and science fiction.

OTHER INFORMATION

All quotes in blocks are from the EDH unless otherwise noted.

There are numerous videos and internet radio programs that present the basic story, as well as information from Richards.

Richard Baldwin: A Murder in Camelot The official site of the upcoming documentary by Kevin Moore. The site features court records and news articles about the murder. Moore has been very thorough in documenting the story and interviewing important witnesses. His trailer demonstrates how important the final video will be.

Knights of the Cold War An account of the many claims relating to the Richards family, This appears to repeat the material in the 2009 Conference Notes. The characterization of the Ellis family as “knights” is interesting in light of how Mark was alleged to have regarded himself and his workers before the Baldwin murder.

EDH Dulce Report Edited EDH Information. It is claimed that the Report was written for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and presented to them in 2001. If the Chiefs did not know about the Secret Space Program, they do now. If they knew about these events, and let Mark take the fall, the report served no purpose.

China Gates Richards and Naga fighting together to defeat an interdimensional invasion force.

Dulce Commentary Branton accuses Richards of spreading disinformation. There are other things in play here – including whether there is any underlying information to “disinform” about – but he noted a few of the problems that are discussed in this article. A claim is made that the EDH copied material from other sources.

Dragonhill News writings by JoAnn and Mark Richards, including multiple articles by Mark responding to Kevin Moore.

Project Camelot / Kerry Cassidy First Interview, 2013. Much of the discussion centers around the Dulce events, but some family history is presented. There also was some discussion about why Richards may have been framed. In 2017, Cassidy stated that she was attacked by dark forces with a “scaler weapon” in part to prevent another interview. As of April,2019, she has conducted ten interviews. The excellent blog, The Emoluments of Mars, has critiqued interviews nine and ten.

He’s a Murderer With an Intergalactic Alibi. And She’s in Love With Him: a sympathetic portrait of Mark and JoAnn.

Nagadraconis A letterbox/geocache. With some information about early Saucer sightings at Hamilton AFB.

Problems with Mark Richards SSP Testimony: A discussion at Project Avalon.

Simon Parkes released a video (Oct. 29, 2018) claiming that Mark might receive a presidential pardon or that a machination in the prison system could result in Mark’s release in 2019. Since Mark is a state prisoner who is outside of the power of a president to pardon, any action would be worth less than what the paper weighs. (See U.S. Const., art. 2, sec. 2, cl. 1.) As to Parkes’s vague references to something within the prison system, a prison must enforce the underlying sentence and cannot release someone on its own terms.

Legal Documents

People v. Richards: Unpublished decision of the California Court of Appeal case (No. A02B291) upholding the judgment against Richards.

In re Richards: August 8, 1991, petition filed by Mark in the California Supreme Court, with the supporting declaration. It argued that Mark was denied due process in the appeal and that counsel provided ineffective assistance. In particular, it alleged that counsel failed to object to the Pendragon evidence on proper grounds and did not adequately investigate evidence that was offered on Mark’s behalf at trial that was rebutted by the prosecutor.[9]

Richards v. Superior Court: Decision on a pretrial 1983 appellate writ filed by Richards to dismiss special circumstances, summarizing evidence presented at the preliminary hearing.

People v. Crossan Hoover: The original California appellate decision summarizing the facts from the record in that case, referring to Richards’s role in the murder.

Hoover v. Carey: A federal magistrate overturned Hoover’s conviction. This decision was then reversed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal, which found that the state court had reasonably concluded that errors were harmless. (Unpublished Order.)

Of interest is the magistrate’s findings: “Hoover believed he was obliged to kill Baldwin out of loyalty to Richards and his duty as a believer in the Pendragon cult.” The court emphasized that Hoover’s mental state was compromised “by the influence of Richards and the Pendragon fantasy over him.” He became attached “to a manipulative cult leader promising escape from a world of disillusionment.” The court noted that the psychological experts “spoke of Richards’ controlling influence over Hoover — his manipulation of Hoover’s rage.”

Articles Pertaining to Richards and the Pendragon Case

In addition to the news articles linked directly on this page.

California Magazine, “Medieval Murder in Marin,” Jan. 1983. Pretrial article on Richards, Baldwin, Hoover, and the events of the time. Scanned by Kevin Moore.

Murderpedia : Article on Crossan Hoover, using the story cited below.

Murder in Camelot: From Crimes Gone By, the Collected Essays of Albert Borowitz. The original article used by Murderpedia. It may be the most complete account of the trial that was ever published.

One of the more interesting gems is that the prosecution unsuccessfully moved for Mark’s bail to be revoked after a woman Mark dated stated that he had a gun. Richards introduced himself to Linda, telling her he was a South American consular official. He introduced his mother, Lois, as an aunt and told Linda that his father was dead. He said that a cousin named Mark Richards was in trouble with the law and that he needed a gun for “political reasons.” Lois testified that “Francois,” the name Mark used, was a nickname. Richards took the stand and admitted that what Linda said was true, but that the gun was in the glove compartment of the car, which he had borrowed from his father without knowing that it was there. When the prosecutor asked about his political reasons, Mark said, “I see this trial as political. You and [the detective] are trying to save your necks from a bad bust.”

This incident provides further insights into Mark’s penchant for storytelling.

Given the story at the time, and what has since been stated, it is somewhat surprising that a book has not been written. There seems to be ample material.
NOTES:
[1]. Remarkably, Mark makes no mention about the Richards lineage in relation to his aunt Gwendolyn.

[2]. In April 2019, the Dragonhill News site added further accomplishments for the young man. At the age of 16, Mark “worked on a top-secret project at Lockheed and was also a consultant in Vietnam.” Apart from the problems with bringing a 16-year old into a combat zone, this seems inconsistent with the claims that his commission involved work at Stanford.

The sole documentation that has been offered to support Mark’s claims is a form that purports to give Mark a medal for valor in Naval combat service in Vietnam. (See Knights of the Cold War, Aug. 15, 2017, Screen Shot; Project Avalon Forum, Mark Richards SSP thread.) Mark previously claimed that he was given an Army operational commission at 16. (Cassidy, Interview VIl.)

Since Mark was born in June 1953, the award would have been issued at the age of 15 – rather than 16 as stated in the talk. Either is below the lawful age for combat service. Remarkably, Mark still had time to graduate from high school, particularly since he is alleged to have been in Vietnam in the middle of the school term. (Click on image to view full sized copy of medal form.)

The document is not sourced. The name is in a different sized font and identifying information is redacted. The form identification name is garbled and the orientation of the bottom lines appears to be different than the top. No reason for the commendation is given. This site has not found a similar half-sheet NAVPERS 601-13 form. (Compare here for example – name and service number partially redacted by this site but note consistent type face and full page.) This document fails to provide convincing evidence that a 15-year old unlawfully would have been commissioned to serve in DaNang and then be awarded for valor in combat.

[3]. Although the time frame for Mark’s documented activities, including school and work, make his claims to a military career virtually impossible, this site submitted a request to the National Archives based on Mark’s date of birth and claimed service record – all the information in the EDH reports plus the birthdate. The social security number was not available for obvious reasons but all other data was provided that would have enabled the Archives to locate Mark’s records. No records could be found..

Jo Ann Richards has stated that all Mark’s records are classified. As discussed elsewhere on this site, such an answer is not enough.. The EDH is again requested to provide documentation to support their claims.

[4]. Jo Ann states that Ellis called Mark soon after his wedding and ordered him to battle. (Super Soldier Talk interview, Nov. 2018.) Presumably Mark’s wife would have noticed Mark’s absence and injuries. Jo Ann lists three former astronauts who participated in the Vesta battle under Mark’s command – as with other claims Mark has made, none of whom are still alive.

[5]. The story in Imperial Marin takes place long after Marin grew “from a revolutionary cause to the most powerful Empire in recorded history.” Since the events establishing the empire had already happened for the purposes of his novel, Mark does not explain why he needed to meet with teens to tell them about how Pendragon could be established.

[6]. Hoover’s sentence was overturned by a federal magistrate in 2007, but reinstated by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal in 2009. On September 25, 2018, Crossan was granted parole by the Board of a Parole Hearings. The governor reversed this decision on January 25, 2019.

[8]. Mark’s academic claims are subject to the same kind of problem as his military record. Mark’s only documented higher education is his 1976 degree in history from Dominican College – which was not yet a “university.” His claim to be a Rhodes Scholar is disproven, as discussed above. Indeed, if Mark’s role as a space captain is believed, it makes his numerous degrees all the more impossible since the times would have to overlap with his active military service. In any event, there is simply no way that Richards could have obtained additional degrees from USC, McGill, or Oxford in light of the record of his life established at the time of the crime. Indeed, none of the named schools list “quantum physics” as a specific degree.

In Jo Ann’s “Super Soldier Interview” (Nov. 2018), she offers a somewhat different story. According to this version, Mark has double bachelor and double masters degrees. He obtained a doctorate in political science, almost a doctorate in quantum physics, and is working on a masters in astrophysics.

Mark could have obtained an associate or bachelor’s degree through a prison education program. Neither USC or McGill offer degrees that are available to prisoners. No prison education program offers advance degrees in sciences. It would not be possible to earn a graduate degree – or even “almost” a degree depending on the story – in quantum physics and be working on a degree in astrophysics from an accredited university while incarcerated. (See Degrees of Freedom, Stanford Criminal Justice Center, 2015 [appendix listing available educational programs].)

The claimed accomplishments would have been relevant to Mark’s sentencing at trial but were not mentioned at that time. Academic degrees could easily be substantiated now. The EDH is requested to provide documentation to support its claims.

[9]. A claim of ineffective assistance requires a defendant to prove that an attorney’s conduct was deficient and that it was prejudicial – that there is a reasonable possibility of a different outcome. In this case the petition relied upon Mark’s declaration that except for counsel’s errors he would have testified that did not plan the crime or participate in the murder. It is hard to conceive of any case where such a declaration would be enough to establish prejudice. No evidence was presented to support Mark’s assertions, such as his recent statements that he was having dinner with his parents at the time of the crime. The petition was denied without further briefing.

Contact This Site

Click on the link (section title) or email skymatters2012 (at) gmail.com. Every effort has been made to to accurately describe the EDH information or to document relevant material. I invite the EDH to notify me if there are any errors in my description or if there is any corroborating material to support the claims discussed. Anyone who knew Mark Richards — or could shed additional light upon any aspect of the story presented here — is also encouraged to contact me.

First published 2012. Last updated on April 8, 2020, the petition for writ of habeas corpus filed by Mark at the time of his appeal.

pendragon

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From Pendragon to a Secret Space Program

Mark, top right. On the Dominican team.

Intended Pendragon HQ