On the evening of October 6, 2024, a violent encounter at the Jackson Creek Ranch northwest of Winnemucca, Nevada, resulted in the death of 23-year-old Rayvn Fairchild. The incident, which took place around 9:00 p.m., also left the homeowner, Will Delong, with serious injuries. According to the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, the two men, who were not previously acquainted, were involved in an altercation that escalated to an exchange of gunfire. Both Fairchild and Delong fired a single shot at one another.
Deputies arriving at the scene found Fairchild deceased near a vehicle in front of the residence. Delong had sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was airlifted to a hospital in Reno for medical treatment. Tragically, Delong would later succumb to his injuries on November 13, 2024, while still receiving care. The Washoe County Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy on Fairchild to determine the official cause of death.
Further investigation by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office revealed a more complex series of events leading to the fatal shooting. Authorities concluded that Delong's actions were a justifiable use of deadly force in self-defense. The investigation determined that Fairchild was in the process of committing multiple felonies at the time of the confrontation. It is believed he had stolen a handgun from a vehicle on Delong's property and was burglarizing vehicles when he was discovered.
Investigators stated that Fairchild fired upon Delong first, prompting Delong to return fire. A toxicology report from the Washoe County Medical Examiner's Office indicated that Fairchild was under the influence of amphetamines and methamphetamines at the time of his death. Earlier on the day of the shooting, there had been a report of hunters in the vicinity being threatened by a man throwing rocks, though it remains unconfirmed if this was related to the later incident at the ranch. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office has declared the case solved, with no arrests made due to the self-defense finding.
