RICHMOND, Va. – An at large Richmond murder suspect is considered armed and dangerous and nearly four years ago, he wrote a long confession letter about his mental health problems and foreshadowed his future violence.
Crime Insider sources believe murder suspect Devrick Raquan Gail, 29, is still in the Richmond area.
The first murder of 2018 was Tuesday morning in the 1300 block of Coalter Street in the Mosby Court area and police say the Gail was the triggerman.
"Letters like this are really common because inmates have a lot of time on their hands and sometimes are obsessed with getting out of prision," said CBS 6 legal expert Todd Stone.
Devrick Raquan Gail
The confession letter was written to a judge in April of 2014.
At the time Gail was in solitary confinement in a federal prison for a firearm charge and was asking to be institutionalized at a mental facility. He warned anyone who would listen that he was a ticking time bomb.
“In less than three years, I am scheduled to be released from prison. I can offer a monumental argument that I am more of a detrimental threat to society at this given moment than I was eight years ago,” he wrote.
"Anger, aggression, and violence all seem to be reoccurring themes in my emotionally imbalanced life."
"I am mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted... My inability to control anger and aggression keeps me in a continuous conflict with my environment and the people who are closest to my heart..." he continued.
"We don't have the resources unfortunately to really give the mental health treatment that people need and the type of psychotherapy they need,” said Stone. “So, it is more about medication and getting them through the day."
Was Gail's confession from the confines of a cinder block cell just a way to earn a trip to a psych ward or did it foreshadow future violence? The only person that knows is Devrick Gail.
"Law enforcement uses the term of armed and dangerous and it should be taken seriously, especially when your dealing with mental health issues because people with mental health issues don't have the same deterrent, impact from the law and law enforcement," said Stone.
Gail is described as a black male, 5’ 06” tall, 180 pounds with black hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion. He also has a tattooed portrait of Jesus on his left shoulder in addition to multiple tattoos on his arms and face.
Police is warning the public not to approach Gail or make your presence known to him.
The US Marshals Fugitive Task Force is on the case. If you have information that can help them capture Devrick Raquan Gail call Crime Stoppers at 780-1000.
A reward of up to $1,000 is available to whomever provides a tip that leads to his capture.
