Attorneys appointed for accused Brinklow murderers, hearing date set

On Wednesday, January 8, attorneys were appointed to represent the accused murderers of 20-year-old Tristen Brinklow. A preliminary hearing date of April 1, at 2 p.m. was also set for both Richard Matthew Crouch, 35, and George Lee Good, 28.

On December 31st, both men were indicted on three charges, First Degree Murder, Abduction by Force and Concealment of a Dead Body, related to Brinklow’s late September death. In a first court appearance Thursday, January 2, it was determined the two men, who were already incarcerated on unrelated violent crime charges, qualified for court appointed attorneys.

George Lee Good, 28

Richard Crouch, 35

Eric Wiseley was present in the courtroom to accept appointment as Crouch’s attorney. Reportedly in court in another jurisdiction Thursday morning, Ryan Nuzzo was appointed to represent Good. Comments by Warren County General District Court Judge W. Dale Houff indicated Nuzzo was aware of the pending appointment and had submitted a list of available dates to appear on his new client’s behalf at a first preliminary hearing.

Crouch appeared first on the 11:30 a.m. docket. Commonwealth’s Attorney John Bell told the court it appeared that Wiseley, whom it was noted has represented Crouch on previous charges, had no professional conflicts regarding potential witnesses.

Wiseley asked the court to appoint co-counsel to help in Crouch’s defense due to the severity of the charges. He informed the court that Marguerite Wood had indicated she was amenable to the appointment. The Commonwealth had no objection to the dual appointment. Wiseley did not request a change in his client’s bond status – Crouch was being held without bond at RSW Jail at the time the new charges were filed.

During discussion of potential preliminary hearing dates 90 days out, five of which in April were rejected due to various scheduling conflicts, Bell told the court it was likely the case against Crouch would move more quickly than Good’s.

After about 10 minutes in the courtroom Crouch was escorted out by deputies. Three minutes later Good entered the courtroom. With his attorney situation already addressed and the April 1 date accommodating Nuzzo’s schedule as his counsel established, Good was in the courtroom for less than two minutes.

Prior to his departure Judge Houff told the defendant he could consult with his attorney on any motion for a change in his bond status. Good is incarcerated in the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center (NRADC) in Frederick County. He is also being held without bond on previous charges.

As previously reported those charges relate to a non-fatal shooting on the 200 block of Cloud Street in Front Royal on November 27. Good was taken into custody in Frederick County on December 7 during a DUI checkpoint stop. In addition to the November 27 incident charges, Good accumulated additional charges related to possession and transport of a firearm by a convicted felon at the time of his Frederick County arrest.

According to court records, Crouch’s most recent previous charges date to a September 24, 2019 domestic or family member incident involving the alleged abduction and assault of a woman named Iness Driss. The criminal complaint states that Crouch got Driss to enter a truck driven by his mother with the promise of getting something to eat. However, once she was in the truck Crouch told his mother, Maria Crouch, to drive to their house.

Driss said her requests to be let out of the vehicle were ignored and an attempt to leave the vehicle was unsuccessful, apparently due to child safety locks being engaged.

The criminal complaint states, “Later Richard brought Driss back into the Town of Front Royal where Richard choked Driss to the point of unconsciousness at least three times. Richard has threatened Driss on this occasion, and several others, that he would kill her, her parents, and her children. Driss believes that Richard was trying to kill her.”

The new indictments against Crouch and Good date Tristen Brinklow’s death to September 28-29, 2019.