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Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 12:10 PM

Yerington man sentenced for murder

Yerington man sentenced for murder
Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

A Yerington man was sentenced to life in prison, but could get parole after 25 years, for the murder of his wife.

The Third Judicial District Court sentenced Dustin Cooper, 29, of Yerington, Nevada, to life in prison with parole after 20 years and a consecutive sentence of 20 years with parole after five years for the deadly weapon enhancement. Cooper will be eligible for parole after twenty-five years.

A jury convicted Cooper on a charge of first degree murder on May 10.

Dustin Cooper


Cooper was convicted for killing his wife Johnie Shadden of Yerington.

On March 22, 2016, Shadden, 26 years old at the time, stopped at their home in Yerington on a break while working her job as a rural mail carrier. She was home a short time before Cooper called 911.  When officers and medical personnel arrived, they were unable to save Shadden, who died at the scene from a gunshot wound to the torso.

Cooper was arrested after a lengthy investigation led by the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division.

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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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