Overview
Richard “Rich” Porter was a Harlem drug trafficker active during the cocaine/crack era of the 1980s. He was associated with Azie Faison and Alberto “Alpo” Martinez. His murder and the kidnapping of his younger brother became two of the central events later incorporated into the cultural narrative surrounding Paid in Full.
Donnell Porter Kidnapping
Porter’s 12-year-old younger brother William was kidnapped on December 5, 1989 while on his way to school. A ransom demand targeted Rich because of his reputed drug wealth. Contemporary reporting described a demand for $500,000 and the delivery of part of the child’s finger as coercive proof.
A later federal death-penalty notice alleged that Clarence “Preacher” Heatley participated in Donnell’s kidnapping, torture, and murder, connecting the family crisis to the Preacher Crew. Separate biographical accounts say Rich sought help from Richard “Fritz” Simmons while raising ransom money; that Fritz detail remains participant/biographical evidence.
Killing
Porter was killed in early January 1990. His body was found in the Bronx with cash still on him, leading investigators at the time to discount ordinary robbery and to consider whether his death was connected to private efforts to recover his brother. Later participant accounts connected Alberto Martinez to the killing; those later admissions should be attributed precisely in the dedicated event page.
Network Position
- Partners/contemporaries: Azie Faison and Alberto Martinez.
- Wholesale/credit account: Richard “Fritz” Simmons, according to later Harlem biographical sources.
- Family crisis: Donnell Porter kidnapping; later federal allegation against Clarence Heatley.