On January 7, 2024, at about 4:10 p.m., deputies from the Burke County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported shooting at 2854 Pax Hill Road in Morganton, North Carolina. They found 57-year-old Gary David Ritch with multiple gunshot wounds; he was taken to a local hospital and died of his injuries. Bail bonding agents were at the home when the shooting occurred.

Ritch’s girlfriend, Polly Moretz, told investigators a man and a woman kicked in the bedroom door and that she heard three to four gunshots. Moretz said Ritch had prior arrests for driving while intoxicated and was out on a $9,000 bond. She also said a pellet gun was inside the house, but it is unclear whether Ritch had it during the incident. The sheriff’s office is investigating with the North Carolina Department of Insurance; no arrests have been announced and authorities are consulting the district attorney on potential charges.

If anyone was in the area or has information about who entered the home that afternoon, please share what is known with investigators.