One year later, mystery of Anna Marie Scott's murder remains unsolved, no new updates from investigators
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Sat, 02/04/2023 - 12:10pm
It has been one year since Anna Marie Scott, 23, was found shot to death in a burning car on the freeway between Reno and Carson City, and detectives still have no updates on her case.
On a chilly February morning, deputies and first responders were dispatched just after 4 a.m. to a stretch of the busy I-580 overpass between Carson City and Reno.
The report stated a vehicle was on fire off the side of the freeway, a busy thoroughfare that sees as many as 43,000 cars each day.
When responders arrived and the flames were extinguished, they came upon a grizzly scene: inside the trunk of the vehicle they located the body of Anna Marie Scott. It was later determined that she had been shot to death before being placed in the vehicle.
Scott was a mother of two small children, a daughter, a sister, and an active member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. Her death highlights the continuous plight indigenous women face nationwide.
Indigenous women and girls are murdered at 10 times higher rate than all other ethnicities, and more than 80 percent of indigenous women have experienced violence in their lives.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has not provided any updates regarding the Scott case, her whereabouts in prior days, potential suspects, or any specific ways that the community can help.
In the year since Scott’s body was found, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has never held a press conference, or released any additional information.
After Scott’s murder, Sparks Police shot and killed 23-year-old Jacori Shaw on Feb. 23. According to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Shaw was wanted for questioning in relation to Scott’s murder — he was not, however, ever confirmed as a suspect.
During the incident of Shaw’s killing, it began with a brief foot chase, according to police, and a K-9 was deployed. As seen in video of the incident, the K-9 attacks Shaw. In the incident release, police reported that Shaw produced a hand gun, at which point police fired on Shaw.
However, in the video, a firearm is not seen in Shaw’s hands. He lay splayed on the ground, his hands empty, as the K-9 tears at his legs and police tell Shaw to “drop it now” and “do not move.” According to footage, police believed he had thrown or dropped a gun in a nearby area of the apartment complex's parking lot prior to or around the time he was attacked by the dog, and prior to being shot by police. According to the video, police had a difficult time locating the gun for some time after Shaw's body was taken away. It is not known where they eventually discovered the gun.
This is in stark contrast to the press release which stated that Shaw pointed a gun at officers just before he was shot.
Since that time, no other connections or suspects have been made public by law enforcement in relation to Scott’s case.
At the time of this publication, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has not returned comment on a request for updates into Scott’s case, other than to refer to this press release.
