Medical examiner identifies remains found near Attoway

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

A Roanoke medical examiner on Thursday confirmed law enforcement officers’ suspicions that human remains found by hunters near Attoway last October were those of fugitive David Wayne Richardson.
In a telephone call Thursday to Smyth County Sheriff David Bradley, the examiner said DNA analysis confirmed the remains’ identification, Bradley said Friday.
Bradley said the medical examiner’s investigation closed the case of the 36-year old Richardson who police said fled into the mountains south of Marion after being charged with felonious breaking and entering with the intent to commit a felony in February 2009.
A search began at Attoway Cemetery where police found Richardson’s Dodge SUV. Later, the Virginia Department of Corrections set up a virtual grid to guide a large number of searchers on the ground. Neither they nor cadaver dogs from Northern Virginia trained to find bodies turned up any clues to Richardson’s whereabouts.
As the hunt continued, Bradley said Richardson’s criminal history and the new felony charges against him justified the extensive effort to find the fugitive.
“It’s for the safety of the community,” Bradley said. “We hope what happened here won’t happen in another community.”
Court records showed Richardson was a convicted felon serving seven years of probation. He was arrested in January 2002 and tried two months later on abduction charges and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with nine years and four days suspended, and three years in prison on the firearms charge.
Richardson was listed in the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry in connection with the abduction charges, initially registering June 13, 2006 and renewing his registration June 3, 2008
Commonwealth’s Attorney Roy Evans said one of the convictions for which sex offender registration is required is for abduction of a minor, two counts of which were among Richardson’s three abduction convictions in 2002.
Police initially thought information in Richardson’s files would lead to quick identification of the remains. But when the investigation turned to DNA for confirmation, Capt. B.C. “Chip” Shuler, a Smyth County Sheriff’s Office investigator, said those tests would take some time.
On Friday Bradley said the examiner’s would be sure of their results before announcing any finding. Additionally, he said the officer’s caseload also likely contributed to the longer-than-expected wait. Bradley also said that the examiner was unable to determine cause of death.
Bradley said Richardson’s family was notified of the medical examiner’s conclusion.

dkegley@wythenews.com