Nevada State Police Identify Suspect in 1979 Churchill County Homicide

More than 45 years after the body of Edgar Anders was discovered north of Fallon, Nevada State Police say advances in forensic technology have allowed investigators to identify the man believed responsible for his death.

According to Nevada State Police, detectives determined that Christopher Marvin Fox was responsible for the 1979 homicide investigation. Fox died in 2022 and cannot be prosecuted. However, after reviewing the evidence developed during the renewed investigation, the Churchill County District Attorney's Office concluded Fox would have been charged with open murder, a charge that allows prosecutors to pursue either first- or second-degree murder depending on the evidence.

The case began April 24, 1979, when a Southern Pacific Railroad work crew discovered Anders' body approximately 22 miles north of Fallon near U.S. Highway 95. Investigators determined Anders died from a stab wound.

Authorities said detectives at the time located signs of a violent struggle near the scene, including bloodstains, personal belongings, and a partial footprint believed to belong to someone other than the victim. Evidence also suggested a vehicle fled the area after the killing. Anders' vehicle was later recovered in Sacramento, California.

Nevada State Police said preservation of evidence collected in 1979 ultimately proved critical decades later. Through renewed investigative efforts involving familial DNA analysis, which identifies potential relatives through DNA comparisons, and modern forensic testing, investigators were able to eliminate potential suspects and eventually identify Fox through evidence tied to the crime scene, the victim, and Anders' recovered vehicle.

The investigation was reopened at the request of the Churchill County Sheriff's Office and involved assistance from the Washoe County Forensic Investigation Section.

“This case is a shining example of the steadfast dedication of generations of detectives who refused to let this investigation be forgotten,” Nevada State Police Investigation Division Lt. Joel Martin stated in a release. “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.”

Officials said they hope the resolution provides some measure of closure to Anders' family and loved ones.