Four Years After Murder Details Still Withheld

Commentary

Yesterday, Carson Now pointed out that four years ago, 23-year-old Anna Marie Scott, a mother of two, was found shot to death inside the trunk of a burning car on the I-580 overpass between Carson City and Reno.

In the years since Scott’s killing, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) and the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office have repeatedly declined to release information about the case, despite multiple requests from news organizations. Even basic details, such as the color of the vehicle, who it belonged to, or whether investigators know Scott’s movements in the days leading up to her death, have never been made public.

A month passed after the discovery of Scott’s body before the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner confirmed she had died from a gunshot wound and officially classified her death as a homicide.

News agencies made Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for more information to the WCSO in 2024. But rather than respond, the sheriff’s office issued a press release asking for the public’s help. The release included photos of Scott and her children but did not provide any new factual details that could assist potential witnesses.

When asked directly to confirm whether the agency was refusing to release information such as the make and model of the vehicle, how long Scott had been deceased before being discovered, or her movements before her death, WCSO responded that the case remains an “active and ongoing investigation.”

FOIA requests remain unanswered, and Scott’s murder remains unsolved.