A Chesterfield man who authorities say tried to pass off his wife’s killing as a suicide is now behind bars in Florida, awaiting a return trip to Virginia to face homicide-related charges.
Ross Edward Butler, 56, was arrested in Flagler County this week on a warrant out of Virginia tied to the December 2021 death of his wife, a case investigators originally treated as a suicide. Detectives say evidence uncovered during a multi-year investigation convinced them to reclassify the death and seek criminal charges.
How He Was Found And Arrested
According to WTVR CBS 6, a Chesterfield grand jury indicted Butler on May 18, and he was arrested on May 27. He is being held at the Flagler County jail while officials work out extradition back to Virginia.
Chesterfield authorities say concerns raised by family members and witnesses prompted detectives to reopen the investigation. The victim, 36-year-old Ashlee Butler, was found in a home in the 5500 block of Alberta Road on December 20, 2021. She was taken to a hospital, where she died three days later on December 23, 2021.
Florida Arrest And Reported Charges
Flagler County deputies say Butler had been living at a motel in Flagler Beach when he was admitted to a hospital in Palm Coast. Detectives took him into custody there on the Virginia warrant, according to WKMG ClickOrlando.
Investigators say Butler faces a slate of serious charges, including first-degree murder, abduction, homicide and strangulation.
What Officials Say
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly used the arrest as a pointed reminder that, in his view, the long arm of the law eventually catches up.
“This guy thought he could get away with murder and live the rest of his life at the beach,” Staly said, thanking multiple law enforcement units for helping track Butler down, according to WKMG ClickOrlando.
Staly credited the sheriff’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, Fugitive Apprehension Unit, the Chesterfield County Police Department and the Flagler Beach Police Department with locating and arresting Butler.
Legal Next Steps
Butler remains in the Flagler County jail without bond while authorities coordinate his extradition to Virginia, officials say.
Prosecutors in Chesterfield secured the indictment earlier this month, and investigators are still asking anyone with information about the case to call 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660, according to WTVR CBS 6.
