A federal grand jury in Reno has sharply escalated the case over the 2022 killing of Anna Marie Scott, returning a superseding indictment that upgrades the main charge to first-degree murder and names a second man accused of helping the alleged shooter stay out of handcuffs. The move is the latest turn in a case that has gripped tribal communities and law enforcement across northern Nevada.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the new indictment charges Delshay Astor with first-degree murder within Indian Country and adds Joel Christy as an alleged accessory after the fact. The filing replaces an earlier May 2026 indictment that accused Astor of second-degree murder and sets a jury trial date for Sept. 29, 2026. Prosecutors say Astor faces a statutory minimum of life in prison if convicted, while Christy faces up to 15 years. U.S. Attorneys Office
What prosecutors allege
Prosecutors allege that on or about Feb. 2, 2022, Astor acted "with premeditation and malice" when Scott was shot on the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, that her body was placed in a vehicle, and that the vehicle was then set on fire. Local coverage has identified Scott as a member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe and reported that her remains were found in the trunk of a burned car along southbound Interstate 580 near the Galena Creek Bridge early the next morning. KOLO reported on the discovery and the initial indictment.
Federal jurisdiction and investigation
Because the alleged killing took place in Indian Country and Astor is an enrolled member of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, investigators say federal authorities have exclusive jurisdiction under the Major Crimes Act. The FBI Las Vegas Field Office and the Washoe County Sheriff's Office led the investigation, with operational support from the U.S. Marshals Service and assistance from Reno-Sparks Tribal Police.
Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam, speaking at earlier court proceedings, credited the multi-agency effort and said investigators "did not give up" during the yearslong probe into Scott's death. Washoe County Sheriff's Office
Tribal community reaction
The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and tribal leaders have said publicly that they are mourning Scott and standing with her family, while advocates point to her case as part of the broader missing and murdered Indigenous relatives crisis that has rattled Native communities for years. Local reporting and the colony's statement emphasized the emotional toll of the case and the long stretch of uncertainty between Scott's death and the upgraded charges. KUNR Public Radio
What's next
The superseding indictment pushes the case closer to a full federal trial. Both Astor and Christy are scheduled to face a jury beginning Sept. 29, 2026, and the U.S. Attorney's Office says it will continue presenting evidence in federal court as the case moves forward.
The indictment is an allegation, not a conviction, and both defendants remain presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Brister is listed as the prosecutor on the filing.
