Banda family affirms their love of Melissa; ex-husband sentenced to life

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“I hope you never forget I love you to the moon and back.”

That’s what Cindy Banda tearfully said of her sister, 37-year-old Melissa Banda, who was kidnapped and murdered on Aug. 6, 2020, by her ex-husband, 44-year-old Richard Ford, during the victim impact statements provided by Melissa’s family.

Ford was found guilty of capital murder on Wednesday for the death of Melissa Banda, known by her family as Meli, and was sentenced to life without parole Thursday morning.

Three additional charges of stalking, violating a protection order and assault were dismissed.

Thursday saw Melissa’s family gather to see her murderer get sentenced and face his children’s words during their impact statements.

“I feel like a part of me died that day with my mom,” Elizabeth Ford, Melissa and Richard’s eldest daughter, said as she cried.

The teenager asked her father why he would choose to kill their mother, but knew she wouldn’t get an answer, so she spoke her mind.

“Choosing murder is a cowardly thing to do,” Elizabeth said. “You’re still not manly enough to admit what you’ve done.

“You were supposed to protect me, not destroy me.”

Despite the heinous crime he committed, Elizabeth cried over the fact she’s losing her father too and admitted that she felt bad for him during the divorce between him and her mother, but added that she was scared to go with him.

Elizabeth stated that he wouldn’t be there for her graduation or to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.

She told the court about the last time she had spoken to her mom. Melissa had called Elizabeth prior to her murder just to tell her that she missed her. Elizabeth had been sleeping over at a friend’s house and told her mom she’d be spending one more night there. She never saw mom again.

“I’m so heartbroken,” Elizabeth said. “My mom was my best friend.”

Before Elizabeth, her sister Kimberly spoke too, following her brother’s statement which was read aloud by prosecutor Ana Liz De Leon-Vargas.

Kimberly recounted the events of Aug. 6, 2020 and how she couldn’t believe her father had kidnapped her mom even after watching the surveillance footage taken by the cameras at her aunt’s house.

She said it was when the police officers and family members kept mentioning her dad’s name that it finally hit and she couldn’t help but collapse and sob her eyes out.

“To this day, I wish I could talk to her for five minutes and hug her one last time,” Kimberly said.

In her conclusion, Kimberly found a silver lining and said her mom was in a better place where she didn’t have to hide or be scared anymore, a place where Kimberly would like to go as well when her time came.

“This isn’t a goodbye but a see you later,” Kimberly said.

De Leon-Vargas read Richard “Trey” Ford’s statement to the court which spoke about the loneliness he feels during the after school afternoons and when he hears his classmates talk about how “cool” their moms are.

“I can never forgive what my father did,” De-Leon Vargas read from the statement.

Melissa’s dad, Fidel Banda, added that his grandson doesn’t sleep at night because of the nightmares he experiences now.

Fidel asked Ford to not look away when he spoke to him and wished for him to suffer in prison after reminiscing about his late daughter. He spoke about the day she was born, the times his kids would hand him report cards and the image of Melissa handing him her high school diploma and asking to go to college in San Antonio.

Cindy chose to speak kind words about her sister.

“I stand here because Meli was never alone,” Cindy said with tears in her eyes. “I adore her. Meli was my rock. She made me smile.”

She recalled one of the last times she saw her sister alive, stating that she told Melissa she loved her and to kick off her heels and run if she ever saw Ford. Cindy said she remembers Melissa smiling, laughing and saying, “I’ll run, sister!”

Through her sobs, Cindy asked Ford why he never came to them for help.

Cindy’s brother, Fidel Banda Jr., didn’t mince words once he spoke, calling Ford unwanted.

“No wonder your father didn’t want you,” Fidel Jr. said. “And at the end of it all, your mother disowned you too.”

He spoke about the Ford he knew, stating that he knew him as a strong man, but that image of Ford shattered the day he took his sister away from him.

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Fidel Jr. said he went out looking for Ford that fateful day, hoping to reach him before the police did. He searched canals, ditches and even dumpsters for his sister.

In the end, he wished for Ford’s suffering just as his father did.

“I hope loneliness consumes you and swallows you whole,” Fidel Jr. said.

As police escorted him out, Ford could be seen avoiding eye contact with his children.

The Banda family gathered outside the courtroom and hugged each other through gentle sobs for the daughter, sister, mother they miss dearly.

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