CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The body of Patricia Ann Ritchie, a Harrisonburg woman who was last seen at a city truck stop in 1977, has been identified.
According to a release from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBCSO), authorities were notified of skeletal remains found by construction workers in a Boca Raton wooded area in January 1978. At the time, experts determined they belonged to a white woman between 17 and 29 years of age, but they were unable to identify the remains beyond that.
In December 2025, Orthram, a private lab, began working with the PBCSO to carry out forensic investigative genetic genealogy, which matches DNA analysis with a victim’s familial connections. Through the advanced technology, the remains were identified as Ritchie, who was married to Donnie Wayne Ritchie.
The PBCSO said it is still unclear how Ritchie arrived in Florida, or who was with her on the trip before her death. Because the case is designated as a homicide, anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Investigator William Springer at 561-688-4013 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-8477. A reward up to $3,000 is available.
