Chester Woman Indicted For Deleting Doorbell Videos After Shooting
The Orange County District Attorney announced that Selina Nelson-Reilly of Chester was arraigned on charges accusing her of deleting 17 smart doorbell videos after a shooting at her home. The case intersects with broader questions about evidence preservation, public trust in local officials, and accountability for those who obstruct investigations.
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Selina Nelson-Reilly, 45, of Chester, was arraigned this week on an indictment charging Hindering Prosecution in the Second Degree and 17 counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said in a press notice. Prosecutors allege that Nelson-Reilly deleted 17 videos from the home smart doorbell after investigators had been at the residence, and that she later texted a friend admitting the deletion. The indictment is not eligible for bail, but court records show she was released on her own recognizance and is next scheduled to appear in Orange County Court on January 5, 2026.
The alleged deletions are connected to a May 2, 2025 incident in which an unarmed food delivery driver mistakenly knocked at the Reilly residence and was shot. John Reilly III, the Town of Chester highway superintendent and husband of the defendant, has been charged with attempted murder and related felonies in connection with that shooting. Prosecutors say the video deletions occurred after investigators had already been at the home, raising questions about the integrity of digital evidence in the case. The DA's notice emphasized the office's commitment to holding those who obstruct investigations accountable.
The criminal filings underscore evolving challenges for local law enforcement and prosecutors in cases that rely on footage from smart home devices. Smart doorbell and security camera footage can provide time stamped, location specific records that are often central to investigations, but remote deletion or alteration poses legal and technical hurdles for securing a preserved chain of custody. Prosecutors may seek metadata, service provider records, and corroborating testimony to establish when files were removed and by whom.
The involvement of a town highway superintendent in a shooting and the separate indictment of a spouse for allegedly destroying evidence have immediate political and civic implications for Orange County residents. Highway superintendents in many New York towns are elected officials with responsibility for public works and local infrastructure. That connection amplifies public interest in transparency and in how municipal duties are carried out by office holders facing serious criminal allegations. Voters and local boards may respond through routine oversight, calls for temporary leave from public duties, or election year mobilization.
Beyond the legal process, the case highlights the importance for residents to understand how digital evidence is treated in criminal investigations and how local institutions respond when public officials are accused of wrongdoing. With a January court date pending, the community will be watching how prosecutors build their case and how local officials address governance questions tied to the charges. The Orange County DA press notice and a NewsFlash posting are the primary sources for these developments, dated November 6, 2025.
