TPD: Man Behind Bars After Taking Thousands from Woman with Dementia

An Army veteran is now behind bars accused of taking nearly $30,000 from a woman with dementia.

The suspect has been on the run since June of 2018 when we first brought you the story. Officers say a confidential informant helped lead them to the home where Richard Dwyer was staying.

Related Story: Veteran Steals From Woman With Dementia Who Had Been Helping Him 

Dorothy Green, 70, spent more than five years of her life working at the front desk at the Coffee Bunker. That's where she met the suspect, Richard Dwyer, who was continually asking her for money. 

"She says if you keep asking me for money, do you need work, you could pick up some limbs, mow the yard and I'll pay you,” said Tulsa Police Corporal Matt Rose. “So he starts going over to her house doing work and eventually asks if he can move in.”

Friends of Green told News on 6 in an interview back in June of 2018, that Dwyer moved into her home, made her get rid of her dog, stopped her from taking medicine, and then started asking for more money.

Corporal Rose said that's when her health started to decline. 

"By the time we make contact her, she's very lethargic and doesn't know where she’s at, even in her home,” said Rose.

Corporal Rose said after they got a warrant for Dwyer's arrest, he was nowhere to be found. 

Since then, officers worked to form relationships in their patrol area near Admiral and Harvard, and a confidential informant became wary about Dwyer. 

"The relationship she was getting in was going sour, started researching him and found out he had these warrants out for his arrest out of Rogers County and Tulsa County,” said Rose. 

They say they are thankful for citizens like this woman who helped lead officers to where he was staying.

"Without the assistance of this lady who started looking up this guy and said, 'Hey, I need to contact the police,'” said Rose. “She did that and we were able to track him down and find him."

Even though Green has since passed, officers have never stopped working to solve this case.

"It's been a while but it always closes a case when we are able to put somebody behind bars,” said Rose.

Dwyer is in jail on a complaint of caretaker abuse. He was also wanted on a felony warrant out of Rogers County.