MANATEE COUNTY, Florida — Just before midnight on August 29th, 2015, David Ritch ran into the Walgreens located at 5945 US Highway 301 North in Ellenton and collapsed after having suffered a gunshot wound to his torso. Deputies arrived on scene and spoke briefly with Ritch who stated that as he was walking near a roadway, he had a light shined on him and then was suddenly shot. He could not provide further descriptions of who shot him or any other details.
Ritch was transported to Blake Medical Center where despite medical staff’s efforts he died from his injuries and was pronounced dead at 6:20 the following morning.
Detectives made contact with a friend of David Ritch who said he was friends with both David and a white male known as Joseph Russell. The friend knew Joseph from living at the Edgewater Apartments located at 5905 18th Street East in Ellenton, where Russell resided with his girlfriend until she kicked him out.
On August, 30th investigators conducted a search of the area around Walgreens for a possible crime scene when they located a backpack in an abandoned building across 18th St E behind the Walgreens near the Manatee River. The backpack was searched and papers located within the backpack with the victim’s name on them along with other evidence. A few days later detectives located two .22 caliber shell casings.
It was later learned that Russell was upset that Ritch was communicating with Russell‘s girlfriend, specifically sending her text messages. A friend provided detectives texts messages from Russell stating…”Ritch better hope he never sees him (Russell) again.”
On 10/20/20 detectives were able to re-interview a female friend who gave additional statements about Russell’s intent to harm the victim. This information and other evidence collected during the 5 year investigation helped detectives develop probable cause to charge Russell for the murder of David Ritch.
On 11/05/20 Joseph Franklin Russell was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder. He was already in the Manatee County Jail on unrelated drug and weapons charges
