The case regarding the death of an Alta Sierra man has been closed, with no charges filed, because the suspect died recently. Nevada County District Attorney Cliff Newell says the evidence was circumstantial but undeniably showed that the victim, 62-year-old Scott Cox, was shot twice in the head by his 60-year-old brother, James, in April of last year. The body was not discovered until April of this year. Newell says James Cox died from a terminal illness in an assisted care facility about 2 weeks into the investigation, in May…

click to listen to Cliff Newell

Newell says the 2 brothers had been living in a home on Virginia Way with their mother, with James Cox owning the home. He says the brothers had a history of arguments and disagreements…

click to listen to Cliff Newell

Newell says it’s not believed that the mother was present during the killing. When authorities had stopped by to inquire about Scott Cox, James Cox had stated that Scott had moved out and believed he had left the state. Sometime between the death and the discovery of the body, James moved into the assisted care facility, due to his illness, with the house closed up. A neighbor reported a foul odor from the house this past April.