Reward raised to $5,000 for information about threats to Carson City Judge John Tatro

The Carson City Sheriff’s Office is offering a $5,000 reward for information on a suspect involved in death threats against a Carson City judge.

The Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the Nevada Department of Public Safety Investigation Division, has been investigating multiple incidents of attempted violence against Carson City Judge John Tatro. Tatro received a written threat last December, when a Christmas card was addressed to the Tatro home with the words “You Will Die” inside.

The sender of the envelope is listed as Jake Jacobson, however officials believe that’s a fake name. They said the author of the envelope has a unique style of handwriting and the envelope is addressed in a unique way, both the addresses on the envelope had the address number followed by a hyphen then the street name.

The most recent incident occurred on May 13, 2015, around 1:08 a.m. when an incendiary device was placed in front of the garage door at the Tatro residence. The device burned for a while, but didn’t ignite and no damage was reported. Nearby video footage captured the image of a light colored sedan driving in the area before and after the incident.

The Christmas card also was linked to two other incidents, a drive-by shooting that occurred at the Tatro residence in 2012. Original reports state at 4:23 a.m. Dec. 11, 2012, Tatro called 911 to report someone had shot into his house. Neither Tatro or his wife were injured in the shooting. The bullets left two holes in Tatro’s front door, traveled through the living room, through a sliding glass door and out to the yard where one bullet lodged itself in a fence. A similar car appears in video footage from both the 2012 shooting and the 2015 incendiary incident.

The Sheriff’s Office said the vehicle has been identified as a gold or similar colored 1980-1990 Mercedes-Benz four-door sedan.

Officials believe the suspect is a white adult male between the ages of 35-60, however they don’t have an identity for the suspect. They also believe the man lives north of Carson City, possibly in the Reno/Sparks area, due to footage of the suspect’s car entering and leaving Carson City via I-580 at Carson Street at the time of the incendiary incident.

“I think there is a connection to Carson City, he doesn’t reside here, but in Northern Nevada,” said Sheriff Ken Furlong. “We are hoping that someone will see the car and it will ring a bell for them. This person has a motive for action that isn’t shaking, so it may not be a specific event, but an emotional event that triggered him. They are someone who is very upset with the Tatro family so he has most likely told other people about his hatred.

“Someone knows a person who matches this description and we need access to that if someone discussed that hatred in casual conversation.”

Anyone with information on the suspect is encouraged to call Carson City Sheriff Communication Center at 775-887-2014, Detective Sam Hatley at 775-283-7852 or Lt. Brian Humphrey at 775-283-7850 or by going online to carson.org/tips.