Westmoreland County man found stabbed to death in Virginia

Jacob Tierney | Tuesday, May 26, 2020 8:03 p.m.

A Westmoreland County man was found over the weekend stabbed to death on the side of a road in Virginia, authorities said.

Bruce M. Ritchie, 57, of Herminie, was found near his car Saturday afternoon in Bland County, Virginia, near the exit of I-77, according to Virginia State Police.

A knife was found near his body, police said.

Ritchie worked for Westinghouse Electric Corp. and was on his way home from a business trip in Georgia, according to family friend Kelsey Lender.

He was driving north on I-77 when he pulled off the exit and parked, police said.

Authorities have given Ritchie’s family no information about suspects or a possible motive, Lender said.

Ritchie was married to Dawn Ritchie and had six children, four of them adopted. Lender described him as a loving, generous family man.

“He was the kind of person that everyone should be,” Lender said. “He was always trying to lighten everyone’s mood.”

Lender has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Ritchie’s family. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Ritchie his survived by his wife; children Amanda, Brenn, Damon, Lucas, Rylan and Jerrica; and four grandchildren.

Police are looking for witnesses who saw Ritchie’s white Nissan or any suspicious activity near the pull-off area on Wilderness Road, off of I-77.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Virginia State Police Wytheville Division at 276-228-3131.