KEY CHARACTERS

Who’s who and how they’re interrelated

Tami Lynn Riser

  • Born October 1, 1977

  • Former wife of Allan Long, known then as Tammy Long.

  • Met Richard Ross in San Diego, California in 2000 through a mutual friend (and former Navy shipmate of Richard Ross), Brian Seibold.

  • Hired Richard Ross as Realtor to sell condo (2001) and house (2004) to facilitate move with husband and newborn daughter to Bend, Oregon.

  • Mother of Breanna Lynn Long, born June 2004.

  • Divorced Allan Long, retaining 50/50 custody of daughter, Breanna Long.

  • Moved back to San Diego California in 2007.

  • Began dating Richard Ross in 2007. 

  • Moved in with Richard Ross in 2008. 

  • Moved with Richard Ross to Poway, California in 2011, so that daughter Breanna could attend school with her stepsister, Hannah Cruz. 

Allan Long

  • Former husband of Tami Riser.

  • Met Richard Ross in San Diego, CA in 2000 through a mutual friend (and former Navy shipmate of Richard Ross), Brian Seibold.

  • Hired Richard Ross as Realtor to sell condo (2001) and house (2004) to facilitate move with wife and newborn daughter to Bend, Oregon.

  • Father of Breanna Lynn Long, born June 2004.

  • Divorced Tami Riser, retaining 50/50 custody of daughter Breanna Long.

  • Moved back to San Diego, CA area in 2007.

  • Began dating a woman named Jessica in 2007.

  • Began dating Melissa Cruz in 2008.

  • Married Melissa Long in 2010. 

  • Moved with Melissa Long and her daughter, Hannah Cruz to Poway, CA in 2008.

  • Illegally bugged ex-wife Tami Riser’s phone and recorded her phone conversations.

  • Tricked ex-wife Tami Riser into signing a separation agreement without her realizing it prevented her from leaving Oregon with her daughter. He finally let her sign a new agreement once she got an attorney involved.

Melissa Long

  • Former wife of Mr. Cruz

  • Mother of Hannah Cruz, born 2003.

  • Began dating Allan Long in 2008.

  • Met Richard Ross in 2008.

  • Married Allan Long in 2010.

  • Quotable quote: “​I only know how to fight not work things out peacefully. In fact I love conflicts. I win at any cost.” Stated to Richard Ross and Tami Riser in 2007 during a meeting with her and her then-boyfriend Allan Long about how the four of them could work together better regarding the co-parenting of Breanna Long.

  • Testified that she never liked Richard Ross (2-RT-250).

Breanna Lynn Long

  • Born June, 2004 to Allan Long and Tami Riser.

  • Met Richard Ross in 2007 in San Diego, CA. 

  • Spent time with her mother and Richard Ross during their dating years, 2007 to 2012.

  • Moved in with her mother and Richard Ross during her mother’s 50% custody times in 2008.

  • Step-sister of Hannah Cruz.

Hannah Cruz

  • Born 2003 to Melissa Cruz (Long) and her husband.  

  • Moved in with her mother and Allan Long after their marriage in 2010. 

  • Step-sister of Breanna Long.

Karina Kueker

  • Born 1996.

  • Niece of Tami Riser.

  • Cousin of Breanna Long.

Detective Sergeant Dustin Lopez

  • San Diego Sheriff Department detective assigned to case against Richard Ross.

  • Made choice to not gather DNA evidence at the scene and to schedule the forensic interviews nine days later.

  • Made “friends” on Facebook with parents of Richard Ross’ victims, then celebrated Richard Ross’ conviction by posting “We got him!” on Tami Riser’s Facebook account. Before Richard Ross’ appellate attorney could grab a screenshot of Detective Lopez’s unprofessional conduct, all evidence of his posts were removed, and Tami Riser’s Facebook page was sanitized.

Deputy Public Defender Euketa Oliver

  • San Diego County Public Defender appointed to Richard Ross’ case.

  • Nine years of experience—with just twenty trials as experience (4-RT-655-656).

  • Subject of Richard Ross’ Writ of Habeas Corpus appeal based on her Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.

Deputy District Attorney/Prosecutor Marisa DiTillo

  • San Diego County Deputy District Attorney assigned to case against Richard Ross.

  • Tasked with seeking justice for all parties, yet willfully ignored clear signs of lying and manipulation to convict an innocent man. When so-called “victims” were found to have lied and could not be found credible, DA DiTillo chose to simply cut out parts of their testimony and press on with unsubstantiated charges against Richard Ross.

  • Had the case venue moved three times, with three different judges until she got the judge she wanted, a judge with a reputation for being harsh on sex offenders.

  • Rather than seek to get evidence that would have proved Richard Ross was innocent, she infamously stated in her closing remarks, “We don’t need evidence! They should just say it happened, and that should be enough!”

Superior Court Judge Kenneth Kai-Young So

  • San Diego County Superior Court Judge eventually assigned to Richard Ross’ case.

  • Reputation for being over-zealous on cases alleging sex offenses.

  • Demonstrated a persistent bias against the defendant, Richard Ross, throughout the trial.

  • During jury selection, Judge So badgered a potential juror to the point of tears, because he was so desperate to seat a juror who had herself been abused as a child.

  • During the playback of the forensic interview videos, Judge So walked around the courtroom, shaking his head in disgust and making disapproving sounds, including “tsk-tsk” and loud sighs of exaggerated grief for the jury to hear.

Social Worker Christina Schultz

  • Palomar Health Child Abuse Program at Palomar Children’s Hospital, Licensed Social Worker assigned to manage the forensic interviews of Hannah Cruz and Breanna Long.