Luray detective still in hospital after performing welfare check

LURAY, Va. (WHSV) - Detective Ronald K. McClelland is still in the ICU at the University of Virginia Medical Center after suffering serious injuries last week.

The injuries happened during a wellness check on an individual who officials say found human remains at a home in Luray.

According to Chief Bow Cook, detectives received a report that an individual had found human remains buried beneath the concrete in the basement of a home on East Main Street earlier in April.

Chief Cook said the person did not own the home, but was living there as they were doing work on the house.

Cook reports the person felt like he was being watched by someone or something. The individual cut out the concrete in the basement to find what they thought was a human skull of a little girl.

“Officers responded, along with the state police [and] forensics investigators, and determined that it was not a human remain,” Chief Cook said. “It was carved out of clay. [It] had been carved out of clay by the caller.”

Shortly after this incident, the individual called officials again to say they had found more human remains in the backyard.

“Those bones were examined by the Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office, and investigators determined they were not human bones, they were animal,” Chief Cook said.

Over the next two weeks, the individual continued to call the medical examiner and sent photos of pictures they believed were human, but experts say they were still animal bones.

Chief Cook said during the last call to the medical examiner, the individual said they did not feel safe in the house. Two Luray police officers, which included Detective McClelland, then went to do a welfare check on the individual.

When they arrived, the individual had more bones laid out on a table, and realized again they were not human bones. The individual then told detectives he needed a cup of coffee, so all three went into the kitchen to discuss his safety.

Once the officers determined the individual was not a threat to themself or others, both detectives were beginning to leave the home.

As Detective McClelland was walking out, he fell through a hole in the ground that was covered over by a rug.

“Detective McClelland was walking out and he fell eight and a half feet through a hole, about three foot by four foot, that was concealed by a running rug,” Chief Cook said.

McClelland fell through to the concrete basement where he was knocked unconscious near where the individual had dug for the skull in the original call.

The detective was taken to UVA Medical Center, where he is still being treated for serious injuries.

Police were told the individual created the hole because they felt like the owners of the home were sending people to mess with them, and that they were being watched.

“He didn’t know law enforcement was coming, so I don’t think his intent was to harm law enforcement,” Chief Cook said. “However, he did not make us aware, my officers aware, that this hole was concealed in the living room.”

At this time, no charges are pending against the individual.

Copyright 2021 WHSV. All rights reserved.