Man arrested on murder, arson charges after fire

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

A man was arrested on charges of murder and arson after a woman was found dead following a fire at a home in Fernley Saturday morning.

According to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and the North Lyon County Fire Protection District were dispatched to 320 Aspen Way at approximately 11:08 a.m. Saturday for the report of a structure fire. A fire was located isolated within a bedroom of the home. Firefighters put out the fire and found a dead woman in the room. She was later identified as Sephra Fitak.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division along with Nevada State Fire Marshal Investigators and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Investigators responded to the scene. The investigation determined that Sephra had been the victim of a homicide and the fire had been intentionally set in an attempt to conceal the crime.

Detectives identified Sephra’s boyfriend, Roger Lee Borud as the suspect. Borud was arrested by Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Deputies on Saturday on charges of burglary, home invasion and probation violation in an unrelated investigation. On Sunday, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division arrested Borud on charges of open murder and first degree arson.

Anyone who has information regarding the homicide and arson are asked to contact the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office at 775-463-6620 or by email at detective@lyon-county.org. Reference Lyon County Case Number 23LY03074.

Callers may also remain anonymous by contacting Secret Witness at https://secretwitness.com/ or by text or phone at 775-322-4900.