In May 2023, Jo Ann Fawcett (formerly Jo Ann Richards) ended her marriage to Mark Richards. She has done a few interviews since then — these notes are taken from a conversation posted on MBP (Murder, Blood, and Psychopaths).
During the interview Jo Ann describes her seven marriages and talks about Midlife Magic and her current interests, but this site focuses on Captain Mark Richards. Jo Ann has practical advice for people in a relationship with a narcissist yet part of that advice should be to focus on the truth. It does not help that she continues to describe Richards as a Captain despite all evidence to the contrary.
The first question in my mind was whether she was locked into the narrative by her book and the many appearances she made at conferences or through podcasts. In both public forums and private emails with me, she always maintained that she had access to school and military records that could confirm Mark’s story but the time was never right to release that information. Apparently it still isn’t.
Her book described psychic experiences with Mark’s father and a fictional character from Mark’s “alternative history.” It would not be a good look for her to turn her back on that tale so I was not surprised she maintains that it’s true. It would have been far more interesting if she had acknowledged the problems with the story or confirmed the Dill Factor — which suggests the Space Captain adventures began as a prison story and grew from there as a tall tale waiting to be revealed.
Jo Ann describes Mark as being very smart and charming, but he was an only child, spoiled rotten, and a military brat. The description seems accurate. Mark’s mother was very protective of him and doted on Mark whem he grew up.
Jo Ann and Mark courted for five years through visits and letters before they married. Marriage gave them a higher status in prison because she could be a better advocate with the staff. She is honest about the problems with long term prison relationships. As she says, being a prison wife is a life to itself. Covid was also hard on a lot of families prison families since communication was even more difficult and letters were often lost.
I am curious, though, because she described how prisoners were given laptops to communicate with families, although they sometimes do not work well. The Department of Corrections states that laptops are only for educational programs in certain areas, and have no ability to communicate outside prison. What was Mark using?
Things went great for 20 years. There were certain limits. She knew Mark did not want to be embarrassed in public and the relationship was always about him. “He was a military leader, a captain in the Navy, who was used to being in charge and have every thing done his way. . . Don’t you dare tell him that he is wrong.” Jo Ann put him on a pedestal. She still does in many ways.
Before they were married, Jo Ann moved into the family house because his mother had dementia. She had her work and also began publishing.
Jo Ann states that Mark once had a small ‘successful” publishing business and used to run up and down the coast with his magazine. Yet, that should have raised questions in her mind. As this site documented, Mark was an editor with Seriatim, a small Ecotopian publication. He also claimed to be a military leader during this time. Simply put, he did not look like and could not have been a high ranking military officer at the same time as being an Ecotopian.
Mark remained in prison but she spoke on his behalf at various conferences and other engagements. Once again, she maintained that Mark and his father were in military intelligence and dealt with UFOs and aliens. Jo Ann is a true believer, but even a true believer needs to come to grips with the many holes that refutes Mark’s story.
Eventually, Jo Ann returned to bookkeeping. She paid the bills and the house was in disrepair. She could not see Mark during Covid. Understandably Jo Ann moved to Portland.
Mark blew up. She had not wanted a divorce but it was not a pretty relationship. She still tried to placate Mark but wanted her needs met. Over time she needed to know why Mark married her and why he had not supported her work and her book. Mark stated that it was not a good time for him since people could think he was one in a line of losers.
Mark stated that she was under the misconception that she could have everything her way. The difficulty of communicating in prison added to the problems. Mark maintained that he had money but she never saw anything to help with the expenses. Mark stated he had family in England but she has never met them and could not find them in a Google search. Various plans were made but without proof of money nothing could be done.
Again, as this site has documented Mark did not have money and there is no evidence that he has another family, whether in England or off-planet. She is now skeptical about Mark’s claims about money and states that there were lies. Yet Jo Ann still believes Mark’s underlying story and thinks he has other family. Perhaps her belief in Mark served to compound things when finances were at issue. Mark’s narcissism, though, was the real problem.
Mark still is afraid Jo Ann could go after his assets. He states that he was never wrong and it would be her fault if he loses things at the house. Jo Ann, however, learned how to stand alone and is not going back.
Whatever happens to Mark’s belongings, I wonder how the personal memorabilia he is alleged to have will be kept — such as letters between Ellis and the Dalai Lama, Mark’s many diplomas and military records, and his Secret Space Program uniform. There would be pictures if Naga or JFK as well. If all that is true it should be donated to a library. If that does not work, as a local resident I volunteer to keep it safe! I will give a chocolate bar to everyone Raptor who helps with the move,
Kerry Cassidy divulged that Jo Ann is going to write a book. She is doing that that in relation Mark’s narcissism — but intends to change names. To UFO fans she states that “your hero has fallen off his pedestal.” Yet, she still regards Mark as a “military hero.” I wish her well in her personal life and respect her in many ways, but perhaps the military hero part says it all.
