The Sutton Detachment of the West Virginia State Police received a complaint at approximately 3:30 Monday afternoon March 17 that what was believed to be a body was discovered in the Kanawha Run area known as Brushy Fork Road (County Route 23/1).
Upon arrival Trooper A.L. Groves observed what appeared to be a deceased female wrapped in plastic, facedown, approximately 14 feet from the roadway.
Trooper Groves in conjunction with Sgt. B.K. Smith, Cpl. J.D. Jordan Trooper B.J. Wiley and Trooper T.J. Bonetti summoned the WVSP-Crime Scene Team to process the crime scene.
According to a criminal complaint, the body was transported to the Braxton County Memorial Hospital where she was identified as Belinda Dawn Riffle, 36.
During the investigating, officers obtained access to Riffle’s cell phone records which revealed that her last-known location was at a residence at Grass Run Road in Burnsville; the residence of Christopher Loren Lacy, 59. Records showed that Riffle’s last connection to WiFi was on February 14 through the “Starlink” service provided at Lacy’s residence.
Riffle’s phone records also revealed that she was in the Big Otter area of Clay County on February 12. Troopers obtained witness statements from people in that area, which said that Riffle had shown signs of an overdose while at a residence there. Witnesses also said she was picked up and driven away from Big Otter by a male named “Chris,”.
On Friday, March 21, troopers obtained a search warrant for Lacy’s residence and interviewed Lacy regarding Riffle’s whereabouts in February. Lacy allegedly told troopers that Riffle was at his residence from February 12 to February 14, On Feb. 14, Lacy said he found Riffle “slumped over and deceased” inside his house.
Lacy told troopers that after he found Riffle dead, he wrapped her body in a tarp, dragged her out of the residence, loaded her and her dog in the back of his car and “drove around Braxton County” until he could find a suitable location to dispose of her body. Troopers said that Riffle’s dog was found on February 15 in the area where her body was later discovered.
Lacy was placed under arrest and charged with concealment of a body and drug delivery resulting in death, failure to render aid. He was arraigned on those charges before Braxton County Magistrate Beith Smith where his bond was set at $150,000 cash only. Lacy is currently lodged in the Central Regional Jail awaiting additional court appearances.