Ross Butler remains jailed on murder and strangulation charges in the 2021 death of his wife, Ashlee Butler.
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, VA — A judge denied bond Wednesday for a man accused of killing his wife and arranging the scene of her death to appear as though she had died by suicide.
Ross Butler, 56, is charged with murder and strangulation in the death of Ashlee Butler, who was found unresponsive at the couple’s home on Alberta Road in December 2021. The bond decision means Butler will remain in custody as prosecutors and his defense prepare the case for trial. He has not been convicted, and the accusations against him remain allegations.
The case remained under investigation for more than four years before a Chesterfield County grand jury indicted Butler in May. Police said relatives and other people who knew Ashlee Butler provided information that raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding her death. Investigators later concluded that evidence at the home and her injuries were inconsistent with suicide.
According to court records reported by WTVR, Ross Butler used his wife’s phone to call 911 at about 1 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2021. He told a dispatcher that he had found her hanging on the back porch of their home. The call lasted less than a minute before it ended.
Emergency crews found Ashlee Butler unresponsive. She was taken to a hospital and later declared brain dead. Police said she died Dec. 23, 2021, at age 36. The medical examiner classified the manner of death as undetermined and listed the cause as asphyxia caused by neck compression and ligature suspension.
Ross Butler told detectives that his wife had sent him a message suggesting she planned to end her life and that he found her after returning home. Investigators allege that parts of his account conflicted with physical evidence and changed during later interviews. Prosecutors have not publicly released all evidence expected to be presented in court.
Police said their investigation found a history of domestic violence in the home. Court records cited by WTVR said Ross Butler acknowledged that the couple had domestic problems and that their disputes sometimes became physical. Ashlee Butler’s supervisor also told investigators that Ashlee had previously reported being choked until she lost consciousness.
Investigators believe Ashlee Butler went to the house that day to pack belongings because she intended to leave her husband. Records show that she sent her supervisor a message saying threats had become worse and that she had a limited opportunity to act while her husband was away. Authorities allege she was strangled after returning to the home.
Investigators also questioned Ross Butler’s description of finding and lowering his wife. He said she was still suspended when he arrived and that he lifted her down. Prosecutors said an expert later recreated the reported conditions and found that the belt involved broke almost immediately when placed under comparable weight.
Less than six months after Ashlee Butler’s death, Ross Butler sold the Chesterfield County home and moved to Florida, according to court records. Chesterfield detectives later interviewed him there. Authorities said his description of the events changed during those interviews.
A grand jury indicted Butler on May 18. Florida authorities arrested him May 27 outside AdventHealth Palm Coast after determining that he had been living in the Flagler Beach area. He was held in Florida while awaiting extradition and was later returned to Virginia.
Ashlee Butler’s friends attended the bond proceedings and said they wanted the criminal case to provide answers about her death. Ross Butler’s relatives told WTVR after the hearing that they came to support him and believed the prosecution’s evidence was circumstantial.
Butler is scheduled to return to court Aug. 4 for a status hearing. No trial date has been publicly announced, and the Chesterfield County Police Department said the investigation remains active.
Author note: Last updated July 16, 2026.