JULY 24, 2026 UPDATE:
Court documents revealing more details about a six-month long homicide investigation after a man was shot and killed in an apartment complex on Clear Acre Lane.
Initially when talking to police, the suspect said he was being attacked and acted in self defense.
However, from January until a couple days ago, Reno police detectives gathered enough evidence they believe that Joseph Bitter killed 31-year-old Anthony Walker intentionally.
He’s now being charged with open murder with a deadly weapon.
2 News Nevada obtained court documents that reveal on the day of the shooting, Bitter was a person of interest and was already arrested by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office under the suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing his car.
Bitter’s father also called 911 saying his son did crash his car and that he had shot someone.
At the scene of the crash, deputies found blood on Bitter’s pants that did not correlate to any of his injuries, and a gun case in his car that appeared to have blood on it.
Bitter was transported to Renown, and in the ambulance, police say that his story was very inconsistent.
The suspect said he was acting in self-defense because he was in fear of his life. Then his next story was that Walker tried to strangle him, and lastly, he claimed that Walker tried to sexually assault him.
After Bitter was released from the hospital, he was booked into Washoe County jail, but the DUI charges were later dismissed,
Bitter’s father revealed that Bitter was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a kid, and that the night before the early morning shooting, Bitter and his girlfriend broke up.
Detectives interviewed the girlfriend, where she told them the two got into an argument and this is when she told Bitter she was breaking up with him.
When he was leaving her residence, Bitter took two pistols, a Glock and Sig Sauer, and an AR15 rifle.
At the crime scene in the apartment, detectives found a Sig Sauer pistol, with possible blood on it, and there was one fired cartridge case on the ground.
Walker was found dead, sitting upright at the dining room table. There were no signs of any physical struggle.
Surveillance footage just before the shooting puts Bitter and Walker at three locations together.
Forensic evidence says it’s probable the shell casing and shot fired was from Bitter’s Sig Sauer pistol.
Detectives say that after inconsistencies of Bitter’s story and the evidence overwhelmingly shows the killing was not self-defense, is what led them to charge him with open murder.
Officers say they still have not formally interviewed Bitter after multiple emails to his legal team.
Since the arrest, Bitter has appeared in court twice.
On Friday, his bail hearing was continued until Monday, while he remains in custody.
JULY 22, 2026 UPDATE:
A suspect has been arrested in connection with a homicide that happened in January at an apartment complex on Clear Acre Lane.
31-year-old Joseph Bitter was taken into custody without incident at around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday while at work, a press release from the Reno Police Department said.
He was arrested in connection with the death of 31-year-old Anthony Walker, of Reno, who was shot and killed on January 15.
Bitter faces a charge of open murder.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with investigators is encouraged to contact the Reno Police Department.
ORIGINAL STORY (FEBRUARY 4, 2026):
Police are investigating a homicide after a man was shot and killed at an apartment complex on Clear Acre Lane in Reno.
Reno Police say Washoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the initial report of a death around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 15. When deputies arrived, they found one person dead inside a home.
The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the victim as a 31-year-old Anthony Walker, of Reno. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The manner of death was ruled a homicide, and the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the neck.
Police say the investigation is still ongoing with many stages and involves multiple scenes. Authorities also stressed there was no danger to the community at the time of the shooting and that everyone believed to be involved is in custody.
The Reno Police Department is handling the law enforcement investigation, with assistance from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
Anyone with information that could help investigators is urged to call or text an anonymous tip to Secret Witness at 775-322-4900.
