Murder Case Sentencing

WCDA Releases 2015 Murder Prosecution Results - Convicted Murdered Given Life Sentence

Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks has announced that a conviction from a recent murder trial has resulted in a life sentence for the defendant, Edward Samuel Pundyk, 57. Pundyk was convicted in August of First Degree Murder with use of a deadly weapon after a Washoe County jury found him guilty of the shooting death of his elderly mother, Delphina Medeiros in October, 2015 in Stead.  The murder was investigated by the Reno Police Department (RPD) and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Amos Stege.  Pundyk pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.  This pleading resulted in a lengthy case, primarily due to the complexity of the insanity defense. Despite this, Pundyk was sentenced last Friday to a term of life in prison with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 29 years has been served. 

The case against Pundyk began on October 7, 2015 when RPD was dispatched to Pundyk’s Stead home on a report of shots fired.  When they arrived, they established a perimeter and received information from neighbors that Pundyk was armed with an AK 47 style weapon and had been acting erratically throughout the day.  As the officers surrounded the house the defendant fired a 12 gauge shotgun in their direction, striking a neighbor’s house.  As SWAT officers approached the house they located the deceased victim in the front yard.  Detectives found the remains of at least four cats that appeared to have been shot to death. Members of the RPD Crisis Negotiation Team and Special Weapons and Tactics team were able to negotiate Pundyk’s surrender and he was taken into custody. 

Detectives with the RPD Robbery Homicide Unit determined that after a brief argument Pundyk shot at his mother 5 times with an AK47 rifle, striking her at least once.  Pundyk also shot at least one of the cats with the AR15.  In excess of 50 cats were found to be living at the defendant’s home.  

At sentencing, DDA Stege argued the unpredictable nature of the defendant’s actions, his few social ties, the use of an AK47, and the nature and extent of the victim’s injuries warranted a higher end sentence.