She accused the Benton prosecutor of sexual misconduct. Richland police are done investigating
A Richland City Council candidate’s sexual misconduct complaint against the Benton County prosecutor has been closed after police determined there is no evidence to support her claim.
Lisa Rector Thomas went to the Richland Police Department on Oct. 10 to file the report naming Andy Miller.
She alleged he touched her inappropriately after going uninvited into her Richland home in June 2018.
Miller countered at the time that Thomas, a former friend, was accusing him in retaliation for his involvement in the domestic violence claim against Benton County Sheriff Jerry Hatcher.
Just days before Thomas made the complaint to police, court documents claimed she had an affair with the sheriff during his 2017 campaign.
His wife, Monica Hatcher, accused her husband of strangling her after she confronted him about that relationship.
On Thursday, Richland police Capt. Chris Lee told the Tri-City Herald that his agency has concluded its investigation into Thomas’ complaint against Miller.
“It’s been investigated, determined that there was insufficient evidence to establish any probable cause that a crime occurred, and the matter has been closed,” he said.
Lee added that Thomas’ cellphone — which was taken as evidence because she said it contained messages from Miller — has been returned to her, and “she has been made aware of the disposition of the case.”
The mother of three said in her police report that she knew Miller was going to be driving past her house at a specific time on June 5, 2018, and was going to have a bottle of water outside ready for him.
She claims that he walked into the house uninvited while she was still in the kitchen and, after taking a self-guided tour of her house, she and Miller were sitting on the couch when he touched her inner thigh and kissed her cheek.
Miller responded to Thomas’ complaint on his personal Facebook page, saying she asked him to drop by for a bottle of water while he was visiting his ailing mother in the area. He said she had to remind him of her address in a text.
He said their text message exchange shows it was a short visit, and a follow-up exchange indicated no problems between them.
Thomas has not returned phone calls or emails from the Herald about her allegations.
She released a statement through her Kennewick lawyer, William Edelblute, on Oct. 16, hours after two criminal charges were dismissed against Jerry Hatcher. He was accused of felony tampering with a witness and fourth-degree assault, but Spokane County prosecutors said further investigation is needed.
“Recent dismissal of charges supports that my name was inappropriately used in allegations, now discredited, that appear to have been driven by Andy Miller, who is the subject of my own report to the Richland Police Department,” the statement said. “I hope the multiple conflicts of interest are investigated to a just conclusion.
“It appears certain elected officials may have used their positions to cause needless anxiety to our county, for both personal and political motives, without regard to the harmful effects on citizens, including myself,” said the statement.
“This is Domestic Violence Awareness month. A tainted investigation does not reflect genuine empathy for victims or respect for the accused,” she added in the statement. “I will not make further comment on the investigation of my complaint by the Richland Police Department.”
Hatcher’s lawyers said the criminal case against him was “politically motivated” because Miller and Benton County Commissioner Jerome Delvin were involved initially when Monica Hatcher came forward with the domestic abuse allegations.
Miller previously told the Herald that he recognized that Monica Hatcher’s allegations should be handled by people outside the county, and asked the Washington State Patrol to take over the investigation and the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office to review and follow through with any charges.