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Bill Martin, Valentine director and Church Hill resident, killed by motorist
The 71 year-old was run down in the crosswalk Sunday in front of City Hall
Dave Infante
December 29, 2025
William “Bill” J. Martin, the longtime director of The Valentine and a Church Hill resident, was killed Sunday afternoon by a motorist as he crossed East Broad Street in front of Richmond City Hall. He was 71. The museum confirmed his death in a statement Sunday:
We are heartbroken by the loss of Bill Martin who dedicated 32 years of his life to the Valentine and to telling Richmond’s stories with care, integrity and a deep love for this community. We cannot fully put into words the impact Bill has had but he was a deeply respected leader, colleague and friend to everyone. He was a steadfast advocate for Richmond and his commitment to this place and its people leaves an enduring legacy that will continue to guide our work. We will share additional information, including opportunities to honor Bill’s memory, when appropriate.
The Richmonder’s Michael Phillips reported Sunday that:
Richmond Police were called to 10th and Broad Streets downtown on Saturday afternoon at approximately 2:10 p.m. for a report of a vehicle colliding into a pedestrian. Police determined an adult male driver "made a left turn from North 10th Street onto the eastbound lanes of East Broad Street and struck Martin while he was in the crosswalk."
The driver remained at the scene, and police said that charges are pending.
As news of Martin’s senseless killing hit the wire yesterday, multiple tipsters reached out to The Lookout to note that he was a resident of Church Hill. Property records indicate he had owned a house on the 2500 block of E. Grace St. for approximately a quarter century. If you knew Martin from the neighborhood and have a memory to share with The Lookout’s readers, please get in touch privately, or comment below:
Cynthia Newbille, current Richmond City Council president and longtime 7th District representative, issued a statement via the body’s Facebook page Sunday:
Bill Martin was a passionate steward of our City’s history and culture […] Under his leadership, The Valentine Museum became a well-known and respected institution that educated and inspired countless visitors. This is an immeasurable loss for our City. On behalf of Richmond City Council, we extend our deepest sympathies to his family and the entire Valentine Museum community.
Mayor Danny Avula, a longtime East End resident himself, said in a press release Sunday:
I’m heartbroken over the loss of my dear friend, Bill Martin, who died Sunday after being struck by a driver. Bill was a Richmond icon, an historian who worked tirelessly to tell Richmond’s stories in new and lasting ways, with a particular passion for telling the fullness of our City’s complex history, but always pointing us forward.
Bill's passing is a tremendous loss for our community. I will miss him dearly, and I take comfort in the enduring legacy he leaves behind in the city he so thoughtfully served.
The Lookout contacted both Newbille and Avula to inquire whether Martin’s death has changed their perspective on the efficacy of the city’s current funding and implementation approaches to Vision Zero, the international city-planning program that former mayor Levar Stoney brought to Richmond in 2017.
“The horrific tragedy reinforces Mayor Avula’s ongoing commitment to the City’s Vision Zero work to eliminate traffic deaths,” Mira Signer, the mayor’s press secretary, told The Lookout in an emailed statement. “There is more work to be done, and the Mayor won’t be satisfied until every Richmond resident can move safely through our streets.” She cited the city’s efforts to install or expand so-called “road diet” infrastructure (roundabouts, curb extensions, raised crosswalks) and add better signage and more miles of protected bike lanes as examples of that work. “These efforts are paired with intersection redesigns, reduced speed limits, and quick-build safety projects that make an immediate difference while permanent infrastructure is funded,” Signer said. “The mayor urges everyone behind the wheel to do their part: slow down, obey speed limits, buckle up, drive sober, share the road, and avoid distractions. Lives are at stake.”
Newbille has not responded. This report will be updated if/when she does.
In late October 2025, Avula re-upped Richmond’s Vision Zero pledge, which commits the city to eliminate road fatalities and serious injuries by 2030. The city’s Vision Zero dashboard indicates 12 people have been killed on Richmond streets this year, but it was last updated July 2025, which is the last time the Virginia Department of Transportation updated its own dataset, upon which the city’s relies. Signer told The Lookout that this year through December 29th, Richmond had seen 22 total traffic fatalities citywide, 13 of which involved pedestrians.
Update 12/31/25 3pm ET: This report was updated to include additional comments and statistics from Mayor Avula’s office.
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