Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Defendant Sentenced to Twenty-Four Years for Murder on Nez Perce Reservation

COEUR D'ALENE - Raymond Antoine Scott, Jr., 39, of Lapwai, Idaho, was sentenced today in United States District Court to 288 months in prison for second degree murder in the death of William Reich on the Nez Perce Reservation, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Scott to serve five years of supervised release and to pay a $250,000.00 fine. Scott pleaded guilty to the charge on May 4, 2015.

According to the plea agreement and statements during court, Scott admitted that he intentionally and with malice killed William Reich on July 9, 2013. Scott admitted to using a hatchet or similar object to strike Reich in the head. The case was handled by the United States Attorney’s Office because it happened on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation and both Scott and Mr. Reich were tribal members.

Olson said that Scott earned every day of his twenty-four year sentence. “This defendant’s criminal history demonstrates that he has injured and harmed people both on and off the reservation,” said Olson. “The victim in this case, William Reich, was a kind man who deserved a far better fate. There is nothing that my office can do to lessen the pain for the family of Mr. Reich or his community. However they can rest assured that Raymond Scott, Jr. will not be able to harm other members of the community for many years to come. I appreciate the collaborative efforts of the tribal, state and local law enforcement agencies in bringing this defendant to justice.”

The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Nez Perce Tribal Police and the Idaho State Police.