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Authorities identify woman found dead near Bland County gas station

Police say victim, suspect knew each other

Authorities have identified the woman found dead near a Bland County gas station as Janice Poole of Griffin, Georgia (Courtesy of Haisten McCullough Funeral Home)

BLAND COUNTY, Va. – Authorities have identified the woman who police say was found dead near a Bland County gas station earlier this month.

According to Virginia State Police, the woman has been identified as Janice Poole, 56, of Griffin, Georgia. The cause of her death is still under investigation.

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Gilbert Riggs, 58 of Bluefield, West Virginia, has been arrested and charged with one felony count of second-degree murder and one felony count of hit-and-run in connection to her death. Authorities say Riggs and Poole knew each other.

On Nov. 5 around 8:45 a.m., 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.

Police say Poole’s remains were found at the edge of a gravel lot next to the BP gas station.

Anyone who has any information on this incident is asked to call Virginia State Police at 276-228-3131.