David W. Archey, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division and Thomas T. Cullen, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, announced today that Ronald S. Sanchez Jr., 43, of Oklahoma, died of injuries sustained during an alleged violent attack that occurred along the Appalachian Trial on May 11, 2019.

The FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office ensured proper notification had been made to the victim’s family before releasing this information publicly. This incident remains the subject of an ongoing investigation and additional information, including the identities and status of the surviving victim hikers, will not be released at this time.

Please respect the privacy of these hikers as they heal from the physical and emotional wounds sustained during last weekend’s incident.