By The Associated Press
Monday, April 4, 2022
The family of a northern Nevada woman who was kidnapped and killed has complained that a sheriff's office mishandled its initial response to her disappearance weeks before her body was found, a Reno television station reported.
Naomi Irion's family said a Lyon County deputy delayed taking a missing person report when told of the 18-year-old Fernley woman's disappearance and the office didn't promptly begin an investigation or issue a "be on the lookout" notification for Irion and her car, KRNV-TV reported Friday.
Lyon County Sheriff Frank Hunewill did not immediately respond Saturday to a request by The Associated Press for comment on the complaint and any response by his office.
The family said they were unsure when she died, so they didn't know whether the initial handling of the case might have made a difference in the outcome, KRNV reported.
While Irion's family complained about the initial response, Irion's brother, Casey Valley, told the station they were grateful and impressed with the subsequent detective work in the case.
Irion had been missing since March 12, when surveillance video showed a masked man wearing a hooded sweatshirt get into her car at about 5:25 a.m. in a Walmart parking lot in Fernley as she waited for a bus to take to work.
Her body was found Tuesday buried in a remote area in neighboring Churchill County northeast of Fallon, and officials said Thursday the case was being investigated as a homicide though they wouldn't say how she died.
Troy Driver, 41, was arrested March 25 on a kidnapping charge and authorities on Friday also booked him on additional charges of murder with use of a deadly weapon, robbery, burglary and destruction of evidence.
His lawyer, Mario Walther, hasn't responded to requests for comment.
