On April 13, 2024, 58-year-old Mary Moran was found deceased in her residence on the 12000 block of Half Moon Way in Nevada City, California. A relative discovered her body around 5:08 p.m. and immediately contacted authorities. Responding deputies from the Nevada County Sheriff's Office determined that Moran had suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
Investigators quickly identified Moran's boyfriend and cohabitant, 64-year-old Kenneth Breining, as the primary suspect. Breining was not present at the scene, and Moran's vehicle was also missing, prompting a coordinated search effort. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office joined the search, operating both on the ground and via aerial support, after receiving information suggesting that Breining had fled to the Sacramento area.
At approximately 3:45 a.m. on April 14, Sacramento County deputies responded to a reported shooting at a residence on Pasadena Avenue. There, they found Breining with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was alive and transported to a local hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and received treatment. Moran's vehicle was located at the Pasadena Avenue residence and was collected for evidence.
The Nevada County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit, with assistance from California Department of Justice crime scene investigators, is actively investigating this case. The incident is being treated as a domestic violence-related homicide, and authorities are working to piece together the events leading up to Moran's tragic death.
