Lyon County sheriff: Utah man held in 25-year-old’s murder

A 39-year-old Saratoga Springs, Utah, man was arrested in connection with the disappearance and alleged murder of Sara Filiatraut, 25.

Filiatraut’s remains were found in Churchill County on May 22. She went missing April 15 from Fernley.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office said based on evidence collected, Robert Matthew Richards, 39, was arrested Monday in connection with Filiatraut’s murder.

Richards was working and staying in Fernley when Filiatraut went missing, according to a press release from the LCSO.

He left the state soon after Filiatraut’s disappearance.

After the discovery of Filiatraut’s remains May 22, detectives learned that Richards was in Colorado. Detectives traveled to 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 earlier this month.

On Monday, detectives traveled to Utah where, with the assistance of local law enforcement, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service, they took Richards into custody.

Richards was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail in Salt lake City where he will remain until he is extradited to Lyon County.

“Throughout the course of this investigation, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office has received unwavering support and assistance from the Churchill County Sheriff’s Office, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Regional Human Trafficking and Exploitation Unit (HEAT), the Elko County Sheriff’s Office, the Nevada State Police, Investigations Division, the Grand County Colorado Sheriff’s Office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Salt Lake County Utah Sheriff’s Office, and the Saratoga Springs Utah Police Department,” the news release said.

Anyone who has information 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 24LY01479.