In the quiet town of Dayton, Nevada, the life of 34-year-old Joseph Mitchell Jarratt, a White male, was tragically cut short on the evening of May 7, 2018. The setting was a local shopping center parking lot on Pine Cone Road, where a planned marijuana deal took a fatal turn. Lyon County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to reports of shots fired and discovered Jarratt with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite immediate first aid, his injuries proved too severe, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation into the homicide quickly pointed to a group of teenagers. Believing the shooting was the result of a drug deal that had gone awry, law enforcement began the arduous task of identifying and locating the individuals involved. The Lyon County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from multiple other agencies including the Carson City Sheriff's Office and Washoe Tribal Police, launched a widespread investigation that soon led them to several suspects.
Within days of the shooting, arrests began to be made. The first to be taken into custody was 17-year-old Tieler Ash Frayo of Dayton. He was soon followed by Malik Amir Avila, also 17, from Gardnerville. The investigation continued to yield results as two more 17-year-old Carson City residents, Jordan Andrus and Kane Wallace, were apprehended. Authorities identified these two as suspects they had previously asked the public for help in identifying.
The final suspect, a 16-year-old from Carson City named Jonathon "Johnny" Ortiz, remained at large for a period, prompting a public plea for information on his whereabouts. Secret Witness even offered a cash reward for information leading to his arrest and prosecution. After a diligent search, Ortiz was finally located and arrested in Carson City following a brief foot pursuit. With his capture, all the individuals believed to be responsible for the death of Joseph Jarratt were in custody, facing charges of open murder.
