Following the passing of Mary Tyler Moore, the media has redirected its attention toward her family, especially the demise of her only son Richie Meeker, prompting increased searches for his life and death details through Wikipedia.
Mary Tyler Moore was an American actress and producer born on December 29, 1936, in Brooklyn, New York.
She was the eldest child of Marjorie and George Tyler Moore, a clerk.
Similarly, Mary grew up alongside her two younger siblings, John and Elizabeth Tyler Moore.
In her 20s, she started her entertainment career through television and later made a big name in Hollywood for herself.
Amongst many, her performances in The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show are what she is most recognized for.
The actress has won multiple awards for her performances in her more than five decades of entertainment career.
Nonetheless, the internet’s focus shifted from Mary to her son Richie Meeker when news emerged that he died at 24, and this led to an increased search for his Wikipedia page.
Richie Meeker Wikipedia: Early Life And Family
Since Richie Meeker never had an extensive career like his mom Mary, he does not have a dedicated Wikipedia page.
Richie (Richard Carleton “Richie” Meeker Jr.) was born on July 3, 1956, in Los Angeles, California.
Richie was the only child of a renowned actress, Mary Tyler Moore, and her first husband, Richard Carleton Meeker.
His parents, Mary and Richard, got married in 1955, and a year into their marriage, the couple welcomed their first child, Richie Meeker.
Richie was six years old when his mom and dad separated, so he grew up without his parents’ love.
As a result, he started using drugs and underwent treatment as well. Despite all these complications, Richie at least completed his high school studies.
Apart from this, there is no information available regarding his inside life as he passed away at a very young age.
Richie Meeker was 24 when he died, and the details of his tragic death are not widely known due to the absence of a Wikipedia page.
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How Did Richie Meeker Die? Mary Tyler’s Reaction To Her Son’s Death
Mary Tyler’s only child, Richie Meeker, died on October 14, 1980, at the age of 24.
At such a young age, he lost his life, leaving much undone that he had hoped to accomplish. So, how did he die?
Well, the report says that he accidentally shot himself while engaging with a short-barreled, 410-gauge shotgun at his residence near the University of Southern Campus.
The authorities initially called it a self-inflicted gunshot wound, however, later, after investigation, it was called an accident.
Further, Richie’s roommate, Judy Vasquez, also informed the police that the shooting had occurred accidentally.
In the case, Judy stated,
He was loading and unloading the short-barreled gun when it went off and it was a terrible accident.
Additionally, Judy mentioned a loud bangout from his room, and Richie subsequently fell onto his bed.
Later, police also took Richie’s other friend, Janet Mclaughlin, in inquiry in which she informed the authorities that she was together with Richie in the evening, and he showed no signs of suicidal thoughts.
As to his friends, his life was going well, and there was no apparent reason for him to commit suicide.
After considering all his friends’ statements, authorities concluded that Richie’s death was instead an accident.
Many years later, his mom, Mary, opened up on his death in her memoir. She wrote that she received the terrible news through a 5 am phone call from her then-husband Grant.
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