Two charged in death of man found in ravine months later
Already-jailed suspect, possible accomplice linked to slaying of man who disappeared Thanksgiving
Two people, including a man jailed in another county, have been linked to the slaying of a man whose body was found in a remote ravine two months after his Thanksgiving disappearance, authorities said.
The development revealed this week by San Jose police provides new clarity in the death of 41-yearold Billy Ray Scott, who detectives and prosecutors now believe was killed Nov. 23. Police launched an investigation into the “suspicious disappearance” in January, after he was reported missing.
Scott, who was known by the nickname “Tank,” was found the following month in an unincorporated portion of Almaden Valley.
“The investigation led detectives to a rural area of Santa Clara County where Scott’s body was located in a ravine,” police said.
The Santa Clara County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office confirmed that Scott’s official date of death was Feb. 2, when his body was found. A formal of cause of death is still pending.
Police later pointed their focus toward an apartment near Moorpark and Kingman avenues they linked to the death, and inside “a crime scene was located,” according to the news release.
“Detectives believe that Scott was killed inside the apartment and later discarded in the ravine,” police said.
They eventually identified Eugene Frazier, 44, and Renee Nicole Wilson, 44, both of San Jose, as suspects in Scott’s
death.
Frazier, who is suspected of killing Scott, was formally charged with one count of murder in Santa Clara County, but he has been in jail custody in Monterey County since January for unrelated charges that include attempted murder, kidnapping, torture and possession of crystal methamphetamine. Jail records show he is being held there on $3.65 million bail.
Frazier has a lengthy criminal history in Santa Clara County, with several convictions involving primarily drug crimes, as well as burglary and assault.
Wilson, suspected of helping Frazier conceal evidence, was arrested July 24 in Los Banos by the SJPD Covert Response Unit. She is being held without bail at the Elmwood women’s Billy Ray Scott disappeared Thanksgiving 2017 and was later found dead in a ravine, according to police.
jail in Milpitas on a felony charge of being an accessory after the fact. Her criminal history in the county involves assault and drug crimes.
Because Scott’s official date of death is in February, his case becomes the 15th homicide of the year in San Jose. There were 18 homicide recorded at the same point in 2017.
Police said there is no evidence the suspects and victim knew each other directly, but noted that Scott was not targeted at random.
Additional details were not immediately released. Police reports and other documents in the public case file have been sealed by the Superior Court at the request of Detective Wayne Smith.
In his request to seal the files, Smith wrote to the court and stated that revealing details of the investigation now would compromise detectives’ pursuit of possible additional suspects and prompt them to “destroy valuable evidence,” and endanger people who spoke to police for the case.
Anyone with information about the case can contact Detective Sgt. John Barg or Detective Wayne Smith in the SJPD homicide unit at 408-277-5283 or leave a tip with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP or svcrimestoppers.org. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.