Man accused of killing parents commits suicide

A man accused of killing his elderly parents and hiding their bodies in the garage of their Reno home was found dead of apparent suicide early Friday, authorities said.

The Washoe County sheriff's office said a deputy making a routine cell check found John Gary Huntoon lying unresponsive on his bunk around 2 a.m.

Emergency assistance was called, but efforts to revive him failed.

Sheriff's Lt. Terry Lowry said Huntoon hanged himself.

Huntoon, 55, was booked into jail in late June after the bodies of his mother, Emily Huntoon, 84, and his stepfather, William Huntoon, 86, were found in the garage of their Twin Pines Road house.

Huntoon called authorities to the home he shared with his parents on June 25 to report a medical problem, and directed officers to the bodies.

Police said the couple had been dead for at least a week, possibly two.

Investigators said he confessed to bludgeoning and strangling the couple but did not say why.

Huntoon was indicted last week by a Washoe County grand jury on two counts of open murder.

Since June 2002, officers were called to the family's home 10 times, including twice for family disturbances and once for a suicide threat, police said.