Scott Horn, a retired FBI investigator, was found dead in his yard on March 16, 2017, with “major trauma” to his upper body and his death was ruled a homicide, the Baltimore Sun reported. After a lengthy investigation, Horn’s estranged wife Anne Reed Allen was arrested on June 30, 2017, and charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and use of a handgun in a crime of violence.
The investigation found that Horn had been shot and beaten to death and his body was found covered by a tarp and woodpile behind his home in Laurel, Maryland. Authorities learned that there was a history of domestic violence between Horn and Allen which included criminal charges and protective orders, and at the time of Horn’s death the two had initiated divorce proceedings, the Sun reported.
After a three-week trial in late 2018 that revolved mostly around circumstantial evidence, Allen was acquitted of her estranged husband’s murder. The State’s Attorney’s office in Prince George’s County said they were disappointed in the result but did not comment further on the case, which remained open at the time, the outlet wrote.
Has Scott Horn’s murder been solved today? Did investigators close the case?
No Further Arrests Have Been Made in Horn’s Death & the Case Remained Open After Allen’s Acquittal
FacebookScott Horn and Anne Allen
Shortly after Allen’s arrest, another individual was arrested and charged with Horn’s murder. Jason Allen Byrd of Westminster was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and the use of a handgun in an act of violence, the Baltimore Sun reported at the time.
According to the Washington Post, charging documents said Byrd and Allen were in a romantic relationship and Byrd received a text from Allen the day Horn was found dead thanking him for being her “muscleman.” These documents also stated that Byrd and his truck were seen at Horn’s home the day his body was found. At the time of his arrest, Allen’s attorneys said the two were “work friends” and their relationship was only platonic, the Sun reported.
Byrd was eventually released and the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence. While authorities said the case remained open after Allen’s acquittal, no further arrests were made in connection with Horn’s death. During Allen’s trial, her defense attorneys argued that Horn was not well-liked by his neighbors and was also known to carry with him large amounts of money, the Baltimore Sun wrote.
Horn’s Children Reported Him Missing on March 16, 2017, & His Son Later Found His Body on the Property
On March 16, 2017, Horn’s children reported their father missing after his daughter became suspicious that he didn’t call her in the morning, as he usually did. Later that evening, Horn’s son found his body under a tarp and firewood in the home’s yard in Laurel, Maryland.
Authorities learned that Horn had been shot in the neck but it wasn’t fatal. The former FBI investigator was then beaten to death and suffered severe trauma to his face and upper body, Distractify wrote. Authorities were unable to find any DNA evidence at the scene pointing to another individual.
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