Nevada City, Calif. June 29, 2017 – Nevada County District Attorney Cliff Newell announced today that no charges will be filed in the homicide of Scott William Cox. Mr. Cox remains were located on April 3, 2017 at a home on the 17000 block of Virginia Way in Alta Sierra. The body was badly decayed and the evidence indicates he was killed a year earlier on or before April 16, 2016.
On April 3, 2017, neighbors noted a smell coming from the home and upon inspection found the partially decomposed remains of the deceased on a deck outside of the house. Sheriff’s Major Crime Unit responded and began the investigation. Cause of death was determined to be two gun shots to the head and, due to the direction of exit and entry wounds, were inconsistent with suicide. The victim was identified through forensic analysis of teeth and dental records.
Investigation revealed the deceased and his brother James Richard Cox had a history of arguing and disagreements. Their relationship worsened in the months leading up to Scott Cox death and they reportedly fought often. Evidence recovered by detectives overwhelmingly implicates James Cox as having been responsible for his brother’s death. The evidence was circumstantial but undeniably showed that Scott Cox was killed by his brother.
The Sheriff’s Department referred the case to the District Attorney for filing on May 5, 2017. During the process of reviewing the evidence and further investigating the case, suspect James Cox, succumbed to a terminal illness while bedridden in an assisted care facility. The case has been closed.