Former resident charged in second murder

A former Sequoyah County resident facing a second-degree murder charge in New York is now facing an additional murder charge of killing and dismembering a Broken Arrow man a year prior.

The U.S. Attorney for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District filed charges on May 4 against Alex Ray Scott, 27, of Tulsa, who attended school in both Vian and Sallisaw. The case is being conducted in federal court because Scott is a tribal member and the crime reportedly took place on tribal land.

According to earlier reports, Scott was wearing bloody clothing when he walked into a New York police precinct three years ago and confessed to killing Kenneth Savinski, 64, in a Manhattan apartment on Jan. 30, 2020. The two were believed to be in a relationship and had reportedly met on an online dating app.

Savinski was found dead on the first floor of his apartment two days prior to Scott allegedly confessing to his murder. The New York Post reported Savinski’s throat had been slit and he’d been stabbed in the head multiple times.

Police reported finding identification belonging to Robin Lee Skocdopole of Broken Arrow on Scott’s person during that time and attempted to locate Skocdopole. Broken Arrow police were called to search his home in February 2020 but found the residence empty.

Broken Arrow authorities returned to the residence a month later where the dogs reportedly alerted on several areas, including the laundry room and garage. Blood found at the scene was later linked to Skocdopole by DNA testing.

Authorities believe Scott killed Skocdopole, 63, sometime between Sept. 14 and 15, 2019. Skocdopole was reported to have been dismembered with a chainsaw. Some of his remains were found by a Broken Arrow creek in May 2020 after cadaver dogs searched the area. Scott, who was wearing an ankle monitor on another unrelated charge, was at the creek’s location where the body parts were found, according to the device.

It was later discovered that Scott, who transitioned from a male to female while incarcerated in New York, was telling friends and family of Skocdopole that he’d moved to Dallas, Texas for work.

Skocdopole was reportedly last seen in August 2019 with his bank activity stopping in mid-September.

Friends and family of the man said when they tried contacting him, they received vague or odd replies and he was never available in-person. Authorities now believe Scott was posing as Skocdopole to cover up his murder. Scott also reportedly admitted to living with Skocdopole at a home in Broken Arrow.

The medical examiner said he believed two different saws were used to dismember the victim.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported records from a Walmart in Broken Arrow showed Scott purchased a chainsaw from the store on Oct. 4, 2019. Records also showed Scott returned the chainsaw to the store for store credit on Oct. 27, 2019.

U.S. Marshals were ordered to deliver Scott from Riker’s Island in New York City to Tulsa to face the new murder charge.