First degree murder suspect extradited to Lyon County

Lyon County Sheriff's Office detectives traveled to the state of Utah where they arrested Robert Richards for the murder of Sara Filiatraut. Since that time, Richards has been in custody in Utah pending extradition to Lyon County.

In early October, a Governor's warrant was signed by Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo and sent to the state of Utah. In Turn, Utah Governor Spencer Cox issued his own Governor's warrant, demanding that Mr. Richards be delivered to Lyon County, Nev.

Late today, Nov. 5, 2024 Mr. Richards was delivered to the Lyon County Jail, where he was booked on one count of first degree murder. Richards is currently being held without bail.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Investigations Division, Major Crimes Unit has been working on this case since April. Early on in the investigation, Detectives identified 39-year-old Saratoga Springs, Utah resident, Robert Matthew Richards as a suspect in Ms. Filiatraut’s murder. Richards, who was working and staying in the Fernley, Nevada area at the time Ms. Filiatraut went missing, left the state of Nevada a short time later.

After the discovery of Ms. Filiatraut’s remains on May 22, 2024, detectives learned that Richards was staying and working in the state of Colorado. Detectives traveled to the state of Colorado and with the assistance of the Grand County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, executed a search warrant and collected numerous items of physical evidence. Based on evidence collected throughout this investigation, an arrest warrant for Richards, charging him with one count of First Degree Murder, was issued in late July.

On July 29, 2024, detectives traveled to the state of Utah where, with the assistance of local law enforcement, as well as the United States Marshals Service, Richards was taken into custody and was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail in Salt Lake City, Utah where he remained until he was extradited to Lyon County to face trial for the murder of Sara Filiatraut.

Anyone who has information regarding the above investigation may contact the Lyon County Sheriff's Office Investigations Division by email at detective@lyon-county.org or by phone at 775-463-6600, reference Case Number 24L Y01479.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

Every month, Park Rangers offer various Ranger-Led programs that include educational opportunities, historical fun and exciting adventures. All programs are offered for free and take place in one of the many Carson City parks and open space areas.

The Carson City Symphony Association announces the ninth annual instrumental music scholarship for Carson City students age 5 to 17. The scholarship was established by a generous gift from Jennifer and John Webley in memory of Rosemary Nebesky, former board member and friend of the Carson City Symphony Association.

Here is the Carson City area road report for the week of Nov. 4-10, 2024. Closures are expected at the following locations due to road and utility work:

UPDATE 6:30PM: A Carson City teen, Larissa Rupert, reported missing, is now safe and unharmed after being contacted by deputies who were called to a residence, said Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong.

Carson City Fire Department, sheriff's deputies and Nevada Highway Patrol were called late Saturday afternoon to a vehicle crash.

Graphics Extraordinaire 2024 has been a satisfying surprise for Western Nevada College Graphic Design Professor Jayna Conkey.

Although the new K-12 education funding formula that Nevada adopted five years ago significantly overhauled how state money flows down to public schools, school funding is still well below what experts think is needed to ensure good outcomes, according to a new report unveiled Wednesday by the Guinn Center, a policy-focused nonprofit research group.

Jodi Miller, Executive Director of the Night Off The Streets (NOTS) organization in Carson City, will join the Leisure Hour Club for their dinner meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14. She will discuss what NOTS does on a daily basis, how they help not only the unsheltered but the community as well, and the goals of the organization.

Culinary students at Carson Middle School will soon have some new tools in their kitchen. The program recently received a $5,000.00 grant from the Rotary Club of Carson City. Club members surprised Culinary Arts teacher Tammy Borremans, who applied for the grant, in her classroom earlier this week.

A storm system moved into the region overnight, bringing a few inches of snow to the Sierra and rain across the lower valleys.

Clear Creek Bowmen annual Turkey Shoot is this Sunday, Nov. 3 at the Carson City Archery Range, just East of Eagle Valley Golf Course. The event is open to the public.

The Capital City Arts Initiative presents "Ships of Nevada" by Wayne Scarpaci, an exhibition with paintings of USS ships, all related to Nevada.

Douglas County invites residents to an educational flood awareness workshop to discuss flood preparedness and current flood control projects.

The Nevada Treasury has announced the start of the open enrollment period for the Nevada Prepaid Tuition Program, beginning Nov. 1, 2024 and concluding on April 15, 2025. The structured savings plan program allows Nevada families to explore payment options for college tuition and allows students to secure the price of in-state tuition early.

The next Carson City Board of Supervisors meeting will be held Thursday, Nov. 7, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Bob Crowell Board Room of the Community Center located at 851 E. William St.

Hello fellow anglers. We have some good news and maybe some sad news. Unfortunately, it is that time of year when we turn our clocks back this weekend.

The Navy JROTC cadets from Carson High School recently embarked on an unforgettable trip to San Francisco to participate in the city's Fleet Week celebration. The annual event provides an opportunity for the public to interact with the men and women of the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Marine Corps, and this year, the Carson cadets were front and center.

While all the Catmandu cats are special, today’s cat of the week is magnificent. Jack Sparrow is a truly stunning cat. He is a big, long-haired blue Manx with an incredible personality that is as perfect as he is.

Wanting to share my 2024 Jack-o-Lantern display! 23 pumpkins on my front steps alone! Home grown at this very address and carved as part of a yearly tradition going on 3 years straight now! Takes me 2-3 days to hollow out and carve every single pumpkin but the end result is worth the effort!

The Carson Aquatic Facility will be closed on Tuesday, November 5, for Election Day to limit any overcrowding and overparking on the west side of Mills Park.

Legendary Ranconteur Ray Bonneville will make a rare northern Nevada appearance for the acclaimed Roots Music Masters Series in Silver City. The Silver City Preservation Society, Evangeline Presents and Yellow Truck Productions are bringing Juno award winning Americana/blues artist Ray Bonneville to town for a show on Friday, November 15.

The Douglas County School Board has made a number of headlines both regionally and nationally since the 2022 election leading to a new majority taking hold.

In celebration of our 25th Anniversary, and with special thanks to ARMAC CONSTRUCTION, Friends To All participated in the 2024 Nevada Day Parade!

View of Carson Day Balloons from C Hill.

View of Carson Day Balloons from C Hill.

Trick or Treat Downtown at participating businesses!

Member businesses in the Downtown Business Association are hosting their annual Candy Crawl on October 31st. This event is FREE and gives families a safe, fun and centrally-located option for Trick or Treating.

Meet Whitney, a one-year-old pit bull/mastiff mix with a heart as big as her curiosity! This sweet girl found her way to us in October after an adventurous stint of jumping her home's four-foot fence and greeting passersby with enthusiasm. Whitney's full of energy and love, and she's on the lookout for a forever home that can offer her the focus and dedication she needs to blossom.

Travel North Tahoe Nevada partnered with Tahoe-based nonprofit Clean Up The Lake for an extensive cleanup of Marlette Lake last week.

A wintry weather system will bring mountain snow and valley rain Wednesday night into Thursday morning but should clear out in time for Halloween trick or treating in the lower valleys. A second system is expected to bring more mountain snow and valley rain or valley snow chances Friday and Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

For 18 years, the Nevada State Museum in Carson City has hosted the annual Dia de Los Muertos celebration in recognition of Latin culture and its contributions to the Silver State.

Carson High School Career and Technical Education HOSA – Future Health Professionals – had several students participate in a full-scale drill with the Carson City Fire Department and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office before the Nevada Day Parade last week. The training exercise simulated a vehicle ramming after a driver experienced a medical event, which rendered them unconscious.