Dane Stephen Richman’s life appeared to be crumbling around him. The 46-year-old reportedly had financial troubles and had slipped into a deep depression. Richman shares two sons, 22-month-old Will Richman and 10-month-old Wesley Richman, with Lizzie Tomich. The pair had an ongoing custody battle that apparently worsened his depression. On May 22, 2026, Richman failed to appear at a court hearing, prompting a welfare check.
When police arrived at Richman’s home in Saratoga Springs, Utah, they found no signs of Richman or his boys. Law enforcement issued an Amber Alert, and the FBI began a wide search for Richman as the family prayed the boys were safe.
The family had a bad feeling that Richman had taken off with the boys.
Tomich’s sister, Kate Walters, shared information about Will and Wesley in a Utah County Facebook group. Walters believed Richman had moved far away with his sons.
“He picked up the boys last Saturday from Shelton, Wa. He lives in Saratoga Springs, Utah. We discovered yesterday that he has moved out of his home, and the neighbors have not seen him all week. Please share with your networks so we can bring these boys home,” Walters wrote.
Tomich pleaded for help finding her boys.
@bringhomewillandw PLEASE help us find Will & Wesley and bring them home! If you have any information please call 801-798-5600. Please repost, share, send to your friends so we can spread the word!! @KSL NewsRadio @UTAH-NEWS ♬ original sound – willandwesley2026
The boys’ mother posted multiple photos and videos on social media, begging for help finding Will and Wesley. She gave a description of Richman’s car, asking others to share her posts.
“I MISS MY BABIES !!! Please help me find them. They are MY WORLD!!!!” Tomich wrote. “I can’t even describe how awful this is. Please please please help me find them!!!!”
Supporters immediately chimed in to help.
“We’ll get them back Lizzie. Everyone across this country needs to be ‘the village ‘…and help these two babies come home to their mama,” someone wrote.
Tomich told the U.S. Sun that Richman could be anywhere. “He’s very outdoorsy. He’s done that his whole life,” she said. “He has lived out of his car. He’s lived in a storage unit before. He has lived off the grid. He’s been homeless,” she added. “He’s lived on a beach, he’s also been to prison for several years. This man can live anywhere.”
Law enforcement tracked Richman to Mexico.
Great news update from the Saratoga Springs Police Department about the Amber Alert for Will and Wesley Richman. The boys have been found safe. The #FBI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to locate and safely recover missing children. pic.twitter.com/lejJPqlMfh
— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) May 27, 2026
On May 26, FBI Salt Lake City shared that law enforcement personnel had located Richman and the boys safe in San Felipe, Mexico. Police took Richman into custody, and he faces two counts of custodial interference.
Jenny Hirsch Tomich shared a message on Facebook on behalf of the family.
“We will appreciate every day from this day forward. I have never experienced true terror to my family before this. The thought of those two little guys to never be seen again was more than any of us could even process. Lizzie was so incredibly brave but losing her self more and more from the heartache she was feeling,” she wrote. “My daughter Kate was the tiger she has always been along with my other daughter Annie posting away. My son Matt hopped on a plane delivering vital certificates of the boys to the Utah authorities the night before the recovery was made by the FBI.
“As soon as Lizzie gets home with her babies we will all be celebrating here in Washington,” she continued in the post. “Thank you God. Thank you dear friends. Thank you to the FBI.”
These stories so rarely have a happy ending. With all that Richman allegedly did wrong, saving his sons’ lives was the best decision he could have made.
