Crime & Safety

Alexandria Police Announce Ron Kirby Reward Fund

Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook makes another plea to the public for assistance in the investigation into the November murder of transportation planner Ron Kirby.

Alexandria Police Chief Earl Cook made another plea for assistance Tuesday to anyone who may have been in contact with Ron Kirby over the last weeks of his life.

Kirby, the director of transportation planning at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, was murdered in his Rosemont home on Nov. 11. The 69-year-old was shot multiple times in his torso, according to police.

Cook said someone deliberately took Kirby’s life but refused to say the influential transportation planner was targeted.

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“It was a deliberate act to take his life,” Cook said. “We did not feel this was a random, dangerous person looking for indiscriminant victims.”

Homicide investigations by their very nature are complex, Cook said, and it’s still early in the Kirby probe.

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“I don’t feel we’re further away,” Cook said.

Detectives are trying to put together a timeline of Kirby’s movements over the last several weeks of his life. Because of Kirby’s large public footprint and travel around and beyond the DC region, Cook said the reach of the investigation is increasing.

“We’re trying to reach out to the public both locally and almost nationally to anyone who may have had contact with him over the last weeks of his life,” Cook said. “…We still think there are people out there who can help us.”

Cook and Chuck Bean, executive director of MWCOG, announced the establishment of a reward fund by the Del Ray Business Foundation to assist law enforcement with the investigation.

Donations to the Ron Kirby Reward Fund can be dropped off at the Virginia Commerce Bank branch located at 2401 Mount Vernon Ave. or by mailing them to the Del Ray Business Foundation at P.O. Box 2927, Alexandria, Va., 22301. (Because of a recent merger, Virginia Commerce Bank branches will become United Bank branches in early 2014).

Cook said the fund totaled roughly $5,000 on Tuesday.  

“Rob Kirby was a person deserving of our respect in life and unfortunately in death,” Bean said. “It is our hope that this [fund] will bring relief or closure.”

Cook urged anyone with information about the murder or who may have been in contact with Kirby over the last several weeks of his life to call the Alexandria Police Department’s tip line at 703-746-4258. Callers can remain anonymous.

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