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Man arrested, charged with murder, hit-and-run in connection with body found near Bland County gas station

He’s being held in West Virginia

Gilbert Lee Riggs (West Virginia Regional Jail & Correctional Facility Authority)

BLAND COUNTY, Va. – Authorities have arrested the man they believe is responsible for killing a woman in Bland County.

Gilbert Lee Riggs, 58, of Bluefield, West Virginia, is being held in West Virginia, pending extradition to Virginia, on one felony count of second-degree murder and one felony count of hit-and-run.

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Riggs was arrested without incident Thursday night by West Virginia State Police at his residence, according to Virginia State Police.

The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Wytheville Field Office is still awaiting positive identification of the body by the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke.


ORIGINAL STORY

Photo taken by Virginia State Police investigators at the scene of the lot where the body was located. (Virginia State Police)

Virginia State Police are investigating after a woman’s body was found near an Interstate 77 exit.

At 8:42 a.m. Thursday, police learned that human remains were discovered near the intersection of Arrowhead Drive and Indian Village Trail, just off of Interstate 77 Exit 58 for Bastian.

A BP gas station is at the intersection of those two roads.

The remains, which appear to be that of a woman, were found at the edge of a gravel lot adjacent to the BP Station, according to police.

The body has been transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke for examination, autopsy and positive identification.

Because we are still waiting for the preliminary autopsy to be conducted, police said they are not in a position to say if foul play is related to this person’s death.

Anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the immediate area or has any information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Virginia State Police at 276-228-3131 or by email at questions@vsp.virginia.gov.