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Roanoke Man Now Charged With Murder After Victim Dies Days After Being Set on Fire
A Roanoke man originally charged with aggravated assault is now facing a first-degree murder charge after the victim of a July attack died from his injuries.
The Roanoke Police Department announced that a Roanoke Grand Jury has indicted William Preston Joyce on a charge of first-degree murder.
The case stems from an incident on July 19, when officers responded to the 1600 block of Wise Avenue SE.
According to police, officers determined that Mark Douglas Ripley had been intentionally set on fire following an altercation.
Joyce was arrested at the scene and initially charged with aggravated assault.
Ripley was transported to a hospital, where he later died five days after the attack from injuries sustained in the incident.
Following Ripley's death, the case was presented to a grand jury, which returned an indictment charging Joyce with first-degree murder.
Joyce remains in custody without bond.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Roanoke Police Department is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators at (540) 344-8500.
As with all criminal cases, Joyce is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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