Nevada State Police and the Washoe County Forensic Investigation Section identified the suspect in the 1979 homicide of Edgar Anders.
After investigating, detectives determined that Christopher Marvin Fox was responsible for the death of Mr. Anders. However, Fox died in 2022 and can't be prosecuted.
The Churchill County District Attorney's Office determined that Fox would have been charged with open murder.
On April 24, 1979, Southern Pacific Railroad crews discovered the body of Edgar Anders near US Highway 95, about 22 miles north of Fallon.
Investigators determined Anders died after being stabbed. They found evidence of a struggle near the victim, including bloodstains, personal items, and a partial footprint not believed to belong to Anders.
NSP says the suspect had left the scene and detectives found his unoccupied vehicle in Sacramento, California.
The evidence found at the scene of the crime was preserved for the ongoing investigation. Detectives were able to narrow down suspects by using familial DNA analysis and other forensic advancements.
They eventually identified Fox as the person responsible for the homicide.
Lieutenant Joel Martin of the Nevada State Police Investigation Division stated, "This case is a shining example of the steadfast dedication of generations of detectives who refused to let this investigation be forgotten. While we cannot change the events of 1979, we can provide answers and bring a conclusion to a case that has remained unresolved for decades. Every victim deserves a voice, and every family deserves the truth. Today, we are able to give a voice back to the voiceless."
