FERNLEY - A Fernley man was in custody Monday on murder charges as Lyon County investigators try to determine if a Fallon man died from his own hand or was murdered.
Anthony Balderas, 27, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in a friend's car on a rural portion of Farm District Road at 11:19 p.m. Saturday in Fernley.
Statements made by Balderas' friends Jason Muir, 25, and Jeffrey Ebeling, 30, were inconsistent with the evidence found at the scene, said Lyon County Sheriff's Detective Rob Hall.
He said both men were at the scene when the shooting occurred, but the detective declined to elaborate on the details of their statements.
The weapon used was found outside the vehicle and belonged to Ebeling.
The area where the shooting occurred is a popular beer drinking location, Hall said. "Alcohol was definitely a factor."
Ebeling and Muir were both booked into jail on suspicion of open murder. According to Hall, charges against Muir were dropped Monday evening.
The investigation remains open pending the results of polygraph exams on Muir and Ebeling.
"This very well may be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," Hall said. "But at this point it's still under investigation.
n Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.