Overview
- A Chesterfield County grand jury indicted Ross Butler on May 18, 2026 on charges that include first-degree murder and strangulation in the December 2021 death of his wife Ashlee Butler.
- Flagler County deputies located Butler at a Flagler Beach motel and arrested him outside AdventHealth Palm Coast on Wednesday; he is being held without bond pending extradition to Virginia.
- Chesterfield detectives say their four-year review found the scene and Ashlee Butler’s injuries were inconsistent with suicide and indicate the death was staged after she was strangled.
- Investigators report a history of domestic violence in the home and say Ashlee had returned to pack belongings before she was killed, details that helped shape the murder indictment.
- The arrest followed coordinated work by Flagler County’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Flagler Beach police, and Chesterfield detectives and the inquiry remains open with authorities asking the public for tips.