On Tuesday, March 12, 2013, at 5:54 pm, Washoe County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a homicide at 160 Mia Drive in Spanish Springs. Deputies were notified by the Fallon Police Department that a caller had claimed there was a deceased male in the backyard of that address.
Deputies responded to the scene and located an unidentified deceased male in the backyard. No other persons were located at the scene.
The deceased male has now been identified as Ryan Petty, a 47 year-old white male adult who owned the residence at 160 Mia Drive. Preliminary findings from the autopsy indicate the cause of death was a gunshot wound. The final report of death will be conducted by the Washoe County Medical Examiner at a later date.
Based on the initial call to the Fallon Police Department, Sheriff’s Detectives have located and interviewed the caller. Based on that and other information, Detectives identified a person of interest in Gardnerville. The man, identified as Billey Stanberry, is a 48 year-old male who lived with Ryan Petty at 160 Mia Drive.
Stanberry was located after a warrant for his arrest was issued by a Fallon Judge for charges stemming from an incident in February that is unrelated to the current homicide investigation. Following an interview with Washoe County Detectives, Stanberry was booked on the warrant by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. He remains in custody at the Douglas County Jail.
Douglas County Detectives located a mini-van belonging to the victim, Ryan Petty, abandoned at the Smith’s Supermarket at 1341 US Highway 395 N. Gardnerville. The van, a red Dodge Caravan with California plates, is related to the homicide and was sealed and transported to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office for processing.
Detectives believe the van was abandoned at the Smith’s on Monday, March 11, 2013, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., however it could have been missing from the scene since Sunday, March 10, 2013. The person who abandoned the van may have left the parking lot on a gas powered scooter. Anyone who saw the van or its occupant(s), or a man on a scooter around that time, is urged to contact Washoe County Detectives. (Photo of the van attached)
Detectives are also interested in any suspicious activity that may have occurred at 160 Mia Drive.
The Sheriff’s Office Detectives Division encourages anyone with information on this case to contact them at 775-328-3320 or remain anonymous by calling Secret Witness at 775-322-4900, www.secretwitness.com, or text the tip to 847411 (tip 411) keyword – SW. If anyone witnesses a crime in progress, the Sheriff’s Office recommends calling 911 immediately.
Photo #1 – Person of Interest Billey Stanberry (Courtesy of Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
Photo #2 – Victim’s red Dodge Caravan (front)
Photo #3 – Victim’s red Dodge Caravan (rear)
Photo #4 – Similar scooter (not actual scooter)
