Darryl Vernon Richley was born on April 12, 1951, in Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. He was the son of Dick Vernette Richley and Iona Maud Coykendal. Public records provide limited information about his upbringing, education, or employment history. Prior to his involvement in the 1981 crime, there is no documented history of criminal activity or notable events in his background.

On January 8, 1981, Darryl V. Richley, along with accomplices James William Holmes, Hoyt Franklin Clines, and Michael Ray Orndorff, executed a home invasion in Rogers, Arkansas. The group, wearing ski masks, forced their way into the residence of Donald Lehman, a local contractor. During the intrusion, Lehman was shot multiple times and severely beaten with a motorcycle drive chain, resulting in his death. 

Lehman's wife, Virginia, and their daughter, Vicki, were present during the attack; Vicki was held at gunpoint while Virginia witnessed the assault on her husband. The assailants stole over $1,000 and several firearms before fleeing the scene.

Richley was apprehended on January 9, 1981. He was tried jointly with his co-defendants and convicted of capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery. All four men received death sentences; however, Orndorff's sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment without parole upon appeal. ​

On August 3, 1994, Richley was executed by lethal injection at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas. His execution followed that of Clines and preceded Holmes, marking the first triple execution in the United States since 1962. Richley declined to make a final statement. His last meal consisted of a porterhouse steak (rare), extra-sharp cheese, and a salad.