How Gloria Choi's dream romance ended in her murder | 48 Hours
YouTube · A6ZEJVptMew
Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖Gloria Choy was a dedicated single mother and hotel manager who was 'lovebombed' by Billy Rickman, who later became abusive and financially exploitative.
- ❖Rickman's behavior escalated from emotional abuse and financial drain to physical violence, tracking via AirTags, and property damage (slashed tires, stolen laptops).
- ❖Gloria obtained a no-contact order against Rickman, but he openly disregarded it, continuing to stalk and harass her.
- ❖In the 48 hours before her murder, Gloria and her friend made four separate calls to 911, reporting Rickman's escalating actions, including multiple tire slashings and property theft.
- ❖Lakewood police officers reportedly failed to make an arrest, citing unclear surveillance video and leaving a voicemail for Rickman, which an expert deemed an escalation risk.
- ❖Rickman murdered Gloria by forcing her car off the road and firing 14 shots into her vehicle, hitting her at least 10 times.
- ❖Rickman was tracked to California, where he was eventually apprehended after a chase and a standoff with a retired corrections officer.
- ❖A previous victim, Aza, revealed Rickman had trafficked and abused her as a teenager, and an arrest warrant for him existed in California, which Washington prosecutors were unaware of.
- ❖Rickman was convicted of aggravated first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.
- ❖Gloria's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Lakewood and its police department, arguing her death was foreseeable and preventable due to police inaction.
Insights
1Escalation of Domestic Violence and Stalking
Billy Rickman's behavior towards Gloria Choy followed a clear pattern of escalation, starting with 'lovebombing' and financial exploitation, progressing to physical abuse, and then intense stalking, including tracking her with Apple AirTags and repeatedly damaging her property. This pattern is a critical indicator of increasing danger for victims.
Gloria's friend Brianna described Rickman becoming 'mean, angry, and insecure,' drinking excessively, and using drugs. Jacob Blue reported Gloria's fear that Rickman would 'become physical with her, push her around, throw her around.' Gloria found an AirTag in her car and suspected more. In the days leading up to her murder, Rickman slashed her tires multiple times and stole property.
2Law Enforcement's Failure to Act on Clear Violations
Despite Gloria Choy's repeated calls to 911 and her diligent efforts to document Rickman's violations of a no-contact order, including providing surveillance video and a 7-page report, the Lakewood Police Department did not arrest him. This inaction is cited as a direct failure to protect Gloria.
Gloria made four calls to 911 in the 48 hours before her death. She provided surveillance footage identifying Rickman by his distinctive walk, but officers deemed it 'not clear enough.' An officer left Rickman a voicemail, which an expert called a mistake that could escalate danger. Gloria's 7-page document detailing violations was found unopened in a police file after her murder.
3Foreseeable and Preventable Tragedy
The attorney for Gloria Choy's family argues that her murder was 'incredibly foreseeable and preventable,' given the extensive evidence of Rickman's escalating threats and violations of the no-contact order. The lawsuit against the police department seeks accountability for this alleged negligence.
Megan Driscoll, the Choy family's lawyer, states, 'This death was incredibly foreseeable...it was as foreseeable as it was preventable.' Russ Hicks, a domestic violence training expert, testified that the officers involved received proper training to recognize escalating behavior and should have intervened.
4The Impact of Previous Unaddressed Violence
Rickman had a documented history of severe violence, including human trafficking and assault, with an active arrest warrant in California that was not communicated to Washington state prosecutors. This missed information highlights a systemic gap that could have provided earlier intervention.
Aza, a survivor, reported that Rickman trafficked and sexually assaulted her when she was 14. Oakland police issued an arrest warrant for Rickman in 2021, detailing multiple incidents of abuse. Washington state prosecutors stated they 'never saw the warrant' and were 'angry and upset because he could have been stopped beforehand.'
Lessons
- Document everything: Victims of domestic violence and stalking should meticulously record all incidents, communications, and evidence, including screenshots, call logs, and detailed written accounts.
- Advocate for 'Be On the Lookout' (BOLO) alerts: If law enforcement is hesitant to act on stalking or no-contact order violations, victims or their advocates should push for BOLO alerts with detailed descriptions of the perpetrator and their vehicle.
- Recognize and report escalation: Be aware that domestic violence and stalking often escalate. Any increase in frequency, intensity, or new forms of harassment (e.g., property damage, tracking devices) should be reported immediately and emphasized as a sign of increased danger.
- Seek support from multiple agencies: If one police department or jurisdiction seems unresponsive, seek help from others (e.g., county sheriff, state police, domestic violence advocacy groups) and ensure all relevant information, including prior reports and warrants, is shared across jurisdictions.
Quotes
"She called for help and she was deprived of help that she's entitled to under the law time and time again."
"He's there to kill her. He is there to kill her."
"He really came across as this nice guy, lovebombed her, meaning he's giving her gifts and kind of showering her with kindness."
"She didn't know how she was going to leave Billy. She was scared to leave him."
"I'm a survivor of human trafficking and Billy Rickman was my trafficker."
"This wasn't a mystery of who did this or why. Um, it was as foreseeable as it was preventable."
"I could hear very clearly Gloria calling for her mother. And... she's just frantically desperation calling for her mother."
Q&A
Recent Questions
Related Episodes
The Love Bombing of Gloria Choi | Full Episode
"This episode details the brutal murder of Gloria Choi by her ex-boyfriend, Billy Rickman, and the controversial police response that failed to protect her despite multiple warnings and clear evidence of escalating danger."
EXPLOSIVE New Report CONNECTS Epstein Associate to Trump Insider?!?!
"An investigative journalist uncovers how Russian model Kira Dictiar, a key recruiter for Jeffrey Epstein, maintained ties to a Trump administration State Department official and Vladimir Putin's alleged partner, raising serious questions about uninvestigated connections."
Mamá me golpeaba, busqué a papá y él me trajo a la cárcel | Yahana #Penitencia 196 #México
"Yahana recounts her harrowing journey from a childhood marred by domestic violence and parental abandonment to drug addiction and eventual incarceration, directly caused by her father's actions."
Hell On Wheels: Mackenzie Shirilla's Double Murder Crash
"A seemingly accidental car crash that killed two young men in Strongsville, Ohio, was meticulously uncovered by investigators to be a deliberate act of double murder by the 17-year-old driver, Mackenzie Shirilla, amidst a tumultuous relationship and a shocking lack of remorse."