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Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 8:23 PM

Autopsy lists suicide as cause of death for Vandenput

Autopsy lists suicide as cause of death for Vandenput
Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

An autopsy has determined that suicide was the cause of death of a Fernley woman who was found dead in a vehicle that had crashed down a ravine in Six Mile Canyon, Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro said.

Nancy Vandenput, 57, was found dead Dec. 14 inside a pickup truck that had crashed off the road and into a ravine off the north side of Six Mile Canyon Road, near the border with Lyon County, three weeks after she had been reported missing.

Vandenput was reported missing to the Lyon County Sheriff's Office on Nov. 22, after having been last seen in the Jason Court area of Fernley around 8:30 p.m. that night.

Antinoro said suicide was determined to be the cause of death based on the findings of the autopsy, performed by the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.

“Lethal doses of controlled substance were present in the toxicology report,” Antinoro said. “There was no bruising that would indicate that she died from trauma as the result of the crash.”

Antinoro said it appears that Vandenput took a fatal overdose of pills after crashing her vehicle down the ravine.

“The state of decomposition is consistent with her death being at about the same time as she went missing,” Antinoro said.

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Comment author: Jack & Nancy CookComment text: Wonderful man. Created a precious family with Linda. Will always respect and admire his contribution to teaching at FHS.Comment publication date: 4/18/26, 10:27 AMComment source: Howard David JacksonComment author: JeffDickersonComment text: Very well reported, even though our motion was denied.Comment publication date: 4/15/26, 11:05 AMComment source: Judge allows Fernley City Council to proceed with corrective agenda item in Lau expulsion caseComment author: Todd fossumComment text: Hi my name is todd fossum i'm clarence's stepson, I was wondering if he had any siblings. I think he said he had a sister that just survived cancer. If she can get ahold of me or any buddy, my number is 916. 3 4 3 1 1 7 7.Thank you have a blessed dayComment publication date: 1/16/26, 4:33 PMComment source: Clarence L Shields C Comment author: Carl HagenComment text: So just curious, what is the point of a franchise agreement if it is not exclusive?Comment publication date: 12/15/25, 4:18 PMComment source: Council approves non-exclusive franchise agreement for waste collection C Comment author: Christine S GleasonComment text: In the first photo, the woman in the middle, wearing the black shirt, is SaraH Jean Gleason. She is not an FHS Leadership Student but is the person who is responsible (with the help of her father) for starting the Fernley Community Thanksgiving Dinner in 2011. She attended this year's dinner while home from Arizona State University, where she is working on her PhD.Comment publication date: 12/8/25, 8:52 PMComment source: About 400 meals served at Community Thanksgiving DinnerComment author: SusanComment text: RIP Sean. Prayers to the family, sorry for your loss.Comment publication date: 9/25/25, 1:11 PMComment source: Sean Everett Turner
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