UPDATE 6:05 p.m. BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) – Virginia State Police shared that 34-year-old Jonathan Dewayne Bell of Goodview was arrested on April 25th.

Bell has been charged with Accessory after the Fact-Homicide.

Read below for further coverage of the incident that occurred on April 18th.



BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) – The Bedford County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office has released the identity of the victim and charged a man in the burned-out vehicle investigation that began on Tuesday, April 18th.

The victim has been identified as 20-year-old Ethan Bert of York, PA.

On Thursday, April 20th, 29-year-old Joseph Richard Walker of Roanoke City was charged with second-degree murder. He was arrested in Florida by local law enforcement. 

According to VSP around 12:45 a.m. on Tuesday the 18th, emergency responders with the Bedford County Fire and Rescue arrived at Sandy Level Road to find a vehicle fully engulfed in flames. After crews extinguished the fire, human remains were found inside the vehicle.

Details surrounding the incident have not been released, but investigators believe the victim and suspect knew each other. The Commonwealth’s Attorney says the extradition process has begun, and Walker is expected to be in Bedford County by the middle of this week.

WFXR News will continue to update you with new information as it is released.