Suvechha Sarkar
In June 2022, a routine workday of Ronald Dennis Brunk, lovingly known as Ronnie, in Virginia took a tragic turn when he was fatally shot in his own office. The quiet community was shaken to its core as details of the shooting unraveled, revealing a confrontation with one of his closest loved ones that spiraled into irreversible violence. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Evil Lives Here: Not My Brother’s Keeper’ delves deeper into the events that led to the crime and the emotional wreckage left in its wake. It also features the emotional interview of his sister, Renee Brunk Branner, who was closely related to the case.
Ronald Brunk Was Shot Dead Inside His Office in Virginia
Ronald Dennis Brunk, lovingly known as Ronnie, was born on May 14, 1959, in Cheverly, Maryland. He was a bundle of joy in the lives of his parents, Gerald Leroy Brunk and Sharon Brunk. Growing up, he was surrounded by the love and support of his parents, his brothers, Randall and Richard Dwayne, and his sister, Renee. Eventually, his family moved and settled in Rockingham County, Virginia. By the time Ronnie graduated from Turner Ashby High School in 1977, he had built lifelong friends and developed a knack for fishing and hunting. As he stepped into adulthood, he found the love of his life, Donna Brunk, and they tied the knot soon after. In the next few years, they welcomed their two sons, Aaron and Adam Brunk, into the world. Although Ronnie and Donna later parted ways, they maintained an amicable bond.
Ronnie got a second chance at love when he met Lauren Jefferson. Shortly after, they embraced a new chapter when they got married. He had stepped into his professional life at Mast & Brunk, where he was a Partner and rose to the position of Vice President of Operations. While working there for 34 years, he diligently handled hiring, project management, bidding, and logistics, often visiting the job sites throughout the area. Another significant part of Ronnie’s life was baseball. His passion for the game began with coaching his son from t-ball to Senior League in the Bridgewater Little League. By 2007, he joined the Rockingham County Baseball League, where he spent time coaching his son, Aaron, with the Broadway team. Ronnie then moved on to coach Adam and his nephew Jordan Branner at Montezuma in 2010.
From 2012 to 2019, Ronnie managed the Braves before embracing the role of a coach in the final three years. Beyond baseball, he also became a respected member of the Shenandoah Basketball Officials Association and the Harrisonburg Umpires Association. Outside of sports, Ronnie was a board member of the Montezuma Ruritans. With retirement on the horizon, he often looked forward to giving more of himself to volunteer work. However, his happy and fulfilled life turned upside down on June 15, 2022. Around 7 pm, officials received a call regarding a break-in at Ronnie’s office, located at 917 Cottontail Trail. When they arrived at the scene, they found no signs of forced entry but a shattered glass door. Upon entering the office, they found Ronnie deceased. His cause of death was determined to be a fatal gunshot wound to his chest.
Witness Statements Revealed the Killer to be Someone Close to Ronald
At the beginning of the investigation, the officials discovered that Ronnie’s brother, Richard, had been arrested shortly before for reportedly committing a violent assault on his father. During that time, Ronnie had taken his father to report the crime to the authorities. When investigators began questioning the witnesses, they informed authorities that Richard had arrived in his pickup truck at the office on the fateful day, after most of his brother’s co-workers had left the premises. He parked his vehicle in such a manner that it blocked the driver’s side door of Ronnie’s car. Richard had entered the office with a warrant related to the aforementioned case to confront Ronnie.
According to the witness statement, a verbal confrontation occurred between the brothers, which escalated into a physical altercation when Ronnie asked Richard to leave. After they were separated, the latter had reportedly gone out to his car and grabbed his 12-gauge shotgun. By that time, Ronnie had locked the glass door of his office. However, Richard pointed the gun and shot him through the glass, shattering it on the impact. When their sister, Renee, was informed about the situation, she reportedly called the police to inform them that she suspected Richard of the crime.
Ultimately, Richard was arrested on the same evening at his residence at Weyers Cave on Carrolton Court. He was charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Upon questioning, he confessed to the details regarding the crime. Richard admitted that he had pulled the trigger once. He reportedly continued that instead of calling 911, he had driven back to his house. The officials found a bloodied shirt in his laundry. When it was examined, the DNA matched Richard’s blood. Detectives had also retrieved the shotgun from his vehicle. Bruises on his face and a black eye observed during his arrest served as further proof of the reported altercation.
Richard Brunk is Incarcerated at a Virginia Prison Facility Today
The jury trial of Richard began in November 2023 in the Rockingham County Circuit Court. During the trial, the lead prosecutor, Marsha Garst, had reportedly emphasized that he was a “ticking time bomb.” She also presented witness testimony detailing the escalating argument between Richard and Ronnie, followed by a gunshot. During his incarceration, Richard was accused of soliciting the murder of two individuals, who were none other than the lead prosecutor in the case, Marsha, and his sister, Renee. Hence, he was also facing two counts of attempted murder-for-hire charges.
According to the reports, the defense had claimed that since the prosecutor was a victim in a separate murder-for-hire case, she could no longer remain impartial. Aside from that, they reportedly alleged that the pre-trial media coverage and Marsha’s local profile made it impossible to seat an unbiased jury. However, all of the defense’s motions were denied. Ultimately, the jury found him guilty of second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony after three days of deliberation. They recommended the maximum sentence of 43 years, which combined 40 years for the murder charge and three years for the firearm enhancement charge.
After Richard’s formal indictment on the two murder-for-hire counts in late October 2023, his pre-trial motions, including the competency evaluations and setting of trial dates, were scheduled for January 16, 2024. Additionally, the jury hearing for the same was set for July 9 and July 23, 2024, respectively. On April 17, 2024, Richard was formally sentenced to 43 years in prison for the murder and firearm enhancement charges. According to the show, he also later took a plea deal for an additional five years in prison for the attempted murder-for-hire charges. Richard is currently serving his time at Pocahontas State Correctional Center in Tazewell County, Virginia, with his projected release date being September 22, 2059.
Read More: Robin Cornell and Lisa Story Murder: Where is Joseph Zieler Now?
