The Murder of Anna Scott

 

During the early-morning hours of February 3rd, 2022, police in Washoe County, Nevada received a call about a vehicle on fire in southbound shoulder area of Interstate 580. Officers responded to the scene and found the car burning about a mile north of the Galena Creek Bridge. Inside the vehicle, police found the body of a young woman. The medical examiner later identified the victim as Anna Scott of Reno, Nevada. She was just 23 years old. 

Anna's family members describe her as a loving mother who was dedicated to raising her young children. Anna was also a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and a beloved part of the community. Her loved ones are inevitably heartbroken by her death. Anna’s family last heard from her the night before she was found deceased. Anna's stepmother said that Anna was posting on social media on the evening of February 2nd but did not post at all the following day--which was unusual. 

Around the same time, Anna's stepmother heard news about a car being found on fire with a deceased female inside. Days later, the family learned that the female inside the vehicle was, in fact, Anna. She had died from a gunshot wound to the head. It appears that Anna's killer(s) then set her car on fire in attempt to destroy evidence.

source: rdj.com

In the days that followed Anna's death, authorities stated that they were trying to an establish a timeline leading up to the murder. On February 7th, the Washoe County Sheriff's office announced that they were "trying to piece together [Anna's] movements and contacts in the hours and days before her body was found."  

Anna's stepmother said that the family heard from a friend who saw Anna that night, but the interaction was "odd". In a report from March 2022, her stepmother was quoted saying, "[The friend] did say she had seen Anna that night and that she had left Anna alone with some people that she hadn’t mentioned to us, I don’t know if she mentioned it to the detectives, but to me that was odd. How are you just going to leave your friend alone?" 

Other than that, detectives remained tight-lipped for several years about the investigation into Anna's death. An April 2022 report on the case states that the sheriff's office did not respond to the reporter's request for updates. However, Anna's family members vowed to not let Anna be forgotten. They also have made efforts to raise awareness about the numerous other missing and murdered indigenous women whose cases also remain unsolved. More information about this nationwide issue can be found here.

A little over four years passed without any updates in Anna's case. Finally, in June 2026, an arrest was finally made; Delshay Astor was indicted on second-degree murder charges. The following month, the grand jury updated those charges to first-degree murder. Additionally, an accomplice, Joel Christy, was charged with accessory after the fact.

Prosecutors allege that Astor shot Anna to death before setting her car on fire. Christy then reportedly helped Astor avoid apprehension after the crime was committed. At this time, it has not been revealed how investigators tied the two men to Anna's murder. Their charges are currently pending. 

Delshay Astor

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Sources:
2 News

KOLO TV, 2, 3

People

RDJ,2

The Murder of Brittney Briggs

 

Brittney Briggs was only 24 years-old when her life was tragically taken inside her Las Vegas, Nevada home. The young mother was found murdered inside her residence on February 10th, 2017. To this day, Brittney's killer(s) have still not been brought to justice.

According to the LVMPD, friends of Brittney began to worry on February 10th after they learned she had not shown up to a pre-arranged appointment. The friends went to Brittney's residence on Spindrift Court and called police as well. It was then that police discovered Brittney deceased inside the home. Brittney's daughter, who was only 3 years-old at the time, was found crying, but otherwise physically unharmed in her own bedroom. 

Brittney had been brutally attacked by her killer(s). An autopsy revealed that she died from blunt force trauma and strangulation. Brittney's home also appeared to have been ransacked, as several items were missing from the residence. Despite this, investigators did not find any signs of forced entry at the scene. 

While investigating Brittney's murder, detectives learned she had recently started a new job as a tax preparer shortly before her death. Additionally, detectives also learned that Brittney "often sold items online and unknown person(s) were known to come and go from her residence." Police noted that it's possible that Brittney's assailant was someone who arrived at the home under the guise of buying something.

Although she was only three years old at the time, Brittney's daughter was still able to provide some details about what she saw before her mother was murdered. The young girl told investigators that "someone told her to be quiet and put a blanket over her head." The frightened young girl remained in her bedroom until police later arrived at the home.

Brittney's death has been a devastating loss for her loved ones, especially as her murder remains unsolved. Her family is still hoping to receive answers and closure. If you have any information that could help solve the murder of Brittney Briggs, please contact the LVMPD’s Homicide Section at (702) 828-3521 or submit a tip online.

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Sources:
LVMPD Cold Cases
LVMPD Facebook

News 3 LV

Other similar cases:

• The Murder of Kayla Freeland
• The Murder of Keira Banks
• The Murder of Kellie Owens
• The Murder of May Ann Atilano Siason
• The Murder of Shannon Steele

The Murder of Brianna Denison

Brianna Denison vanished under suspicious circumstances on January 20th, 2008. Her body was later found hidden under some tree limbs in a roadside ditch in Reno, Nevada. The 19-year-old college student had been raped and strangled to death.

The night before she vanished, Brianna and a friend attended a party together at a local Sands Regency. Brianna and her friend later returned to her friend’s home near the University of Nevada Reno. The two girls went to bed upon their return, however when Brianna’s friend awoke the following morning, she realized that Brianna was missing. She also noticed that there was a bloodstain on the pillow that Brianna had slept on the night before. The police were called, and a massive search for Brianna was launched in the Reno area.

Weeks later, on February 15th, 2008, a man returning to work from his lunch break spotted Brianna’s body under some tree limbs in south Reno. An autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted and asphyxiated to death. 

Brianna’s disappearance and murder occurred after a string of sexual assaults were reported at the University of Nevada Reno. DNA found on the bloodstained pillow confirmed that the sexual assault cases were, in fact, linked to Brianna's case. At that point, investigators were tasked with finding this serial offender before there was another victim. 

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The late 2007 assault cases.

Three months before Brianna’s disappearance, in October 2007, a female UNR student was reportedly raped inside a parking garage near campus. Nearly two months later, in December 2007, another female UNR student was abducted from her apartment and sexually assaulted. 

The victim of the December 2007 abduction and assault said that the perpetrator reportedly attempted to strangle her, and when that did not work, he put his hand over her nose and mouth until she passed out. He then covered her face with a hooded sweatshirt and drove her to a secluded area. Before sexually assaulting her, the perpetrator said, "If you see my face, if you tell the police, I will kill you."

After the assault, the perpetrator then drove the young woman back to her apartment. He reportedly kept the underwear she was wearing and told her he might return. 

The young woman later contacted police to report the incident. She described her assailant to the best of her ability. She was swabbed for DNA, and investigators were able to determine that she had been assaulted by a white adult male. 

Link to Brianna's case. 

After Brianna disappeared, investigators conducted forensic testing on the pillow found with a bloodstain. DNA from both Brianna and an unidentified male who had been linked to the December 2007 assault were found on said pillow.  At that point, it was clear that whoever was responsible for the December 2007 assault was also responsible for Brianna’s disappearance. 

Brianna's body was found about two weeks later. At that point, investigators believed they had the perpetrator’s DNA; however, they still were unable to identify him. A public appeal was made for anyone with information about this person to come forward. 

An anonymous tip.

Finally, in November 2008, an anonymous person told police that a man named James Biela had behaved in a way that matched the behavior of the reported suspect in Brianna’s case. 

James Biela. (source:rgj.com)

DNA from Biela's son and an arrest.

Biela was interviewed, but reportedly refused to provide a DNA sample to police. However, police later spoke to Biela’s girlfriend, who provided them with a DNA sample from her and Biela’s son. Investigators were then able to positively match the DNA from both the 2007 assault and Brianna’s murder to Biela. 

He was arrested shortly thereafter and charged with raping and killing Brianna, kidnapping and sexually assaulting another student, and raping a third student. 

A conviction.

Biela pleaded not guilty to all charges. However, a jury ultimately convicted him in May 2010. On June 2nd, 2010, Biela was sentenced to death. He currently remains on death row. 

Tragedy struck the Denison family once again nearly 10 years later, when Brianna’s relative Caitlin Denison (19) vanished on January 15th, 2018. The young woman remains missing today. A write-up on her case can be found here.

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Sources:
Biela vs. State
Crime Library

CBS News

Similar cases:

• The Murder of Brittany Zimmermann
• The Disappearance and Murder of Brittanee Drexel
• The Disappearance and Murder of Alexis Murphy
• Other resolved cases from 2008
• Other resolved cases from Wisconsin

The Disappearance and Murder of Naomi Irion

 

Naomi Irion (18) vanished in Lyon County, Nevada on March 12th, 2022. Naomi was last seen at a Wal-Mart in Fernley. She drove to the Wal-Mart shortly before 5 AM, and from there, she planned to catch a shuttle bus to her job at Panasonic. However, Naomi never showed up to work, nor did she return home.

Naomi’s worried family members called police after realizing she was missing. Police then looked at surveillance footage from the Wal-Mart where she was last seen. The footage revealed that Naomi was likely abducted from the parking lot in her own car. According to police, the footage “shows a person walking from a nearby homeless camp and lurking around vehicles, before getting into the driver’s seat of [Naomi’s] car, and then driving away with Naomi in the passenger seat.” 

It was believed that then-unidentified person either said or showed something to Naomi that prompted her to move to the passenger side of her vehicle. She was never seen alive again. 

On Tuesday, March 15th, Naomi’s car was found abandoned at a nearby industrial park. Police initially did not disclose what was found in the car, but they did say that they found evidence that suggests Naomi "vanished due to a crime". Authorities pleaded to the public for information about a man driving a dark Chevrolet High Country pickup truck. 

Naomi's parents live in South Africa. Naomi herself just moved to the Reno area in 2021. Her loved ones are desperately hoping for her safe recovery. If you have any information that could help find Naomi, please call the Lyon County Sheriff's Department at (775) 575-3350.
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UPDATE (March 22nd, 2022): 

Police have released additional video footage of the suspect in Naomi's kidnapping. The footage, which can be seen here, shows the man pacing back and forth in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Police stated that the man has a unique walk which may help identify him. 

At this time, the footage of the actual abduction has not been released. Naomi remains missing and the search for both her and her kidnapper continues. 

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UPDATE (March 26th, 2022): 

A 41-year-old man named Troy Driver has been arrested and charged with kidnapping Naomi Irion. Authorities have not yet revealed many details about how they identified Driver as a suspect, but it is believed he is the driver of the pickup truck that authorities stated was involved in Naomi's disappearance. 

News reports from earlier this week state that Naomi went on a date the night before her disappearance. Also, during 2021, Naomi disclosed that she was being sexually harassed at work. At this time, it is unclear if these circumstances are related to Driver or to Naomi's kidnapping. She remains missing. 

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UPDATE (March 31st, 2022):

Naomi's remains have been found.

Her body was found at a gravesite in Churchill County, Nevada. Naomi's cause of death has not been determined but the manner of death has been labeled homicide. Troy Driver remains behind bars on the kidnapping charges, and it's possible that murder charges will be added in the near future. 

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UPDATE (April 2nd, 2022):

As predicted, Troy Driver has been charged with Naomi's murder. His exact charges include open murder with use of a deadly weapon, robbery, burglary, and destruction of evidence. 

The Disappearance of Daniela 'Jasmin' Amaro

Daniela 'Jasmin' Amaro (29) has been missing since October 6th, 2017. Family members last saw Jasmin at her parent's house in Denver, Colorado. Jasmin left the house at some point that day and never returned. She has never been seen or heard from again.

The following day, Jasmin's car was found abandoned on the side of the road near the 215 Beltway in North Las Vegas, Nevada - an approximate 11-hour drive away from Denver. Once Jasmin was reported missing, investigators searched the surrounding areas near where the car was found. Unfortunately, no clues were found. 

Police departments in both Denver and North Las Vegas are investigating Jasmin's disappearance. Certain reports state that Jasmin is missing from Denver - despite the fact that her car was found in Vegas. Other reports state that she was actually spotted in wandering into the desert in Vegas shortly before her car was found abandoned. However, investigators were unable to locate Jasmin or any signs of her when they searched said area. 

There are very few details available about Jasmin's case, so it is unknown why Jasmin and her car ended up in Vegas - nearly 750 miles away from Denver. The link between Jasmin and Las Vegas is unknown. The tragic mass shooting during the Route 91 Harvest musical festival in Las Vegas occurred just five days before Jasmin's disappearance. 

On October 3rd, 2017, Jasmin shared a link to a fundraiser for the victims of the shooting. Her car was found abandoned in Vegas four days later. Due to all these details, it seems possible that Jasmin might have travelled to Vegas to help aide victims of the shooting - but none of this has been confirmed at this time. 

Jasmin's case remains unsolved. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please submit an anonymous tip here or here.

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Sources:
Charley Project
Las Vegas Review Journal
Uncovered

The Disappearance of Irma Mkrtchyan

Irma Mkrtchyan has been missing since January 19th, 2014. The 45 year-old woman was last seen near south Durango Drive and the West Desert Inn in Las Vegas. Prior to her disappearance, Irma was living in Vegas and working as a broker for Farmers Insurance. On the day she vanished, Irma met with a client at a local apartment complex called Allanza. Irma texted her boss after the meeting to say she had to miss work the next few days to attend her ex-husband’s aunt’s funeral in California. The ex-husband’s family later confirmed that was false—there was no family funeral in California.

Around the same time, Irma also texted her loved ones to say that she was going to California for a business trip (no mention of a funeral) and would return in a few days. She also said that she left her car at the Allanza apartment complex with the keys left in the gas tank cap and that she would return in a few days. Irma also mentioned that her phone was going to die since she left her phone charger at home. Her loved ones found this quite bizarre—it was very uncharacteristic for Irma to leave both her phone charger and her car behind. Ever since those messages, Irma has not been seen or heard from again.

The Allanza apartment complex 

According to her family, Irma was not romantically involved with anyone at the time of her disappearance—but she was still living with her ex-husband Ara Marutyan. The former couple had two children together: a daughter who was attending school in a separate state, and a son who was living with them and attending a local university. Irma and Ara divorced in 2007 after sixteen years of marriage, but Ara claims the split was amicable. However, Irma’s friends said that Irma had been brutally beaten by her ex-husband. Irma also told numerous people, including her own daughter, that she was afraid that Ara might try to kill her. When police questioned Ara and their son, Arthur, they claimed that Irma been talking to another man online, and they believed she had run off to the Baja California region of Mexico to be with him. Irma’s loved ones do not believe this is true. According to her brother, Irma would not leave her family behind—especially her mother, who had recently suffered a heart attack.

Ara Marutyan and Arthur

Officials investigating Irma’s case have suspicions about Ara as well. Police said they believe that Ara lied to them. He also failed a lie detector test issued after Irma’s disappearance. A private investigator believes that Armenian organized crime may have played a role in Irma’s disappearance, with identity theft being the main motive. Despite all of this, there have still not been any arrests in Irma’s case and she remains missing today. 

Both authorities and Irma’s family believe that foul play is involved in her disappearance. There is a $12,000 reward for information about Irma’s whereabouts—if you have a tip, please report it by calling 702-758-4727.

The Disappearance of Abby Roberts & Philip Johnson

25 year-old Abby Roberts (pictured left) and her boyfriend 27 year-old Philip Johnson (pictured right) were last seen together on September 29th, 2012. The couple left their Las Vegas, Nevada home in an unregistered black Chevrolet Cruze on that day and never returned. Both Abby and Philip worked at the US Post Office near McCarran International Airport, and they were reported missing on October 9th, 2012, after their loved ones were notified that they both stopped showing up for work.

Abby has not been since September 29th, 2012. Philip, on the other hand, showed up at his mother’s house in Torrance, California a few days later, on October 3rd, 2012. Philip and Abby had not yet been reported missing at that time, so Philip’s mother did not think anything was amiss. Philip drove to his mother’s house in Abby’s car and brought his and Abby’s two month-old son, as well as an older son from a previous relationship. He left the children with his mother and then never returned. Abby’s car was later found abandoned in Compton, California. There was no sign of Abby or Philip at the scene.

Investigators found no signs of foul play Abby and Philip’s home in Las Vegas. Despite this, Abby’s family still believes that Philip might have harmed her. Her family members told police that Abby had been contemplating leaving Philip because he had been unfaithful to her. Philip has never been officially been named as a suspect, and both he and Abby remain missing today.

If you have any information that could lead to the whereabouts about Abby and/or Philip, please contact the Las Vegas Police Department at 702-828-3111.

Today in True Crime: The Disappearance of Heather Janelle Lewis

Heather Lewis was only 13 years-old when she vanished on April 4th, 2003. She was last seen at her middle school in Ely, Nevada. Heather got suspended from school that day, as she was caught with cigarettes in her possession. She was sent home as a result, however she never made it home and has never been seen or heard from again.

Police initially believed that Heather was a runaway. At the time of her disappearance, she was struggling in her relationship with her stepmother. Heather also really missed her older brother, who had moved to Oklahoma. It was briefly considered that Heather might have attempted to run off to Oklahoma, however none of her relatives in that state have heard from her since she vanished.

Heather’s loved ones do not believe she was stay out-of-touch for this long by her own choice. While her family does not deny that she ran away, they believe that she might have come to harm after the fact. Heather’s disappearance remains unsolved today. If you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please contact the White Pine County Sheriff’s Office at 775-289-8808.

[Missing Person Cold Cases Classified as Runaways]

[Vanished From School]