FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After nearly two months of investigation, detectives from the Lee County Sheriff's Office say a stabbing in Whiskey Creek this summer was a hoax.
Police have now arrested 45-year-old Donnell Richardson for filing a false report.
According to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, Richardson initially told detectives on August 12th that he was stabbed and robbed in an elevator in the Whiskey Creek Condominiums just off College Parkway in Fort Myers.
The alleged incident caused several schools to go on lockdown, caused safety concerns among other residents, and led to the release of a police sketch of the alleged suspect.
Investigators now say that while Richardson did indeed have stab wounds, his story claiming he was attacked by a knife-wielding white male was a lie. They say they have DNA evidence showing Richardson lied about the events that afternoon.
It is not clear how Richardson sustained the stab wounds.
This is Richardson’s eighth arrest in Lee County, with priors for drug possession, reckless driving and repeatedly driving with a suspended license. He’s also been jailed in Charlotte County for DUI. He was released on bond Friday evening and is slated to show up for his next court hearing on October 25.
