Arrest made after Woodlawn area man found murdered in in West Virginia

Police in Maryland have charged a man with first-degree murder in the death of Devon Wallace, who lived in the Woodlawn area.

Wallace, 24, was found dead May 2 in a field near Charles Town, West Virginia, according to the Jefferson County, West Virginia sheriff. On Tuesday, police in Frederick, Maryland announced that Ryan David Bretzfelder had been arrested and charged with first degree murder in the case.

Bretzfelder, 43, is a former resident of the Mount Vernon area, according to online records.

The Frederick Police say that Bretzfelder confessed to the murder while being questioned about Wallace’s disappearance. Wallace was last seen alive at a residence in Frederick where Bretzfelder lived, police said.

Wallace died of blunt force trauma to the head, according to the authorities.

Bretzfelder is alleged to have killed Wallace in Frederick on May 1 and then driven his body to West Virginia. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s office said that Wallace’s body was dragged into the field where he was later found.

According to The Frederick News-Post, charging documents indicate Bretzfelder said the two men fought after Wallace began choking a woman he came to Bretzfelder’s home with. Bretzfelder is said to have hit Wallace multiple times with a rock after kicking and punching Wallace on the ground, the paper reported.

No charges have been filed yet against the unnamed woman, who allegedly helped Bretzfelder move the body, according to the Post’s account of the charging documents.