The family of a man shot and killed in West Carson City early Tuesday morning learned of their son's fate through a friend and not directly from the Carson City Sheriff's Department, the victim's father said.
"Nobody called us," said Jose Daniel Alegria on Tuesday evening, about 18 hours after his son Juan Carlos, 23, died from gunshot wounds.
Sheriff Kenny Furlong said a chaplain was sent to the hospital to console the family.
"Throughout the course of the day, this has been a very slowly developing situation. We were hampered by an inability to get everybody identified," Furlong said. "It became clear to the sheriff's office early this morning that the family was notified by a relative."
Late Tuesday, Furlong went to the family's Dayton home to tell them what detectives knew.
According to police, Juan Carlos Alegria had accompanied his friend Fidel "PeeWee" Fuentes, 22, to the apartment of Fuentes' estranged girlfriend on west Eighth Street. Witnesses say Alegria was not involved in a dispute that broke out between Fuentes and the girl about midnight.
A man inside the woman's apartment emerged and shot Alegria three times before turning the gun on Fuentes, who was struck in the leg. Fuentes was listed in fair condition at Washoe Medical Center.
Police were unable to locate the shooter. But a murder warrant was issued at 6 p.m. for Maximilion Cisneros, 22, whom police believe is visiting the area from Los Angeles.
Jose Daniel Alegria said Fuentes' uncle, who also dates Juan Carlos' younger sister Socorro, went to the hospital to check on Fuentes when he discovered through an investigator that Juan Carlos was the second victim in the shooting.
Socorro Alegria said her boyfriend drove from Reno to the family's Dayton home to tell them the news.
"The police never contacted the family," the distraught father said. "We don't know nothing. I went to the hospital looking for why he's dead and no one told me."
Upon learning details of his son's shooting from a reporter, the elder Alegria broke into tears.
"I'm sorry," he said. "This is hard."
Socorro Alegria said learning the details secondhand was difficult.
"We're really upset because if my boyfriend wouldn't have found out, when would they have contacted us?" she asked.
Furlong's late night visit, however; eased the family's concerns, said Juan Carlos' older sister Alba Alegria.
"He was really nice. At least we have a clear picture now," she said. "Mother thought it was very nice of him to come and tell her."
On the day her brother died, Socorro said, she was to attend graduation ceremonies for Western Nevada Community College where she has earned a two-year degree in nursing. Juan Carlos had planned to be there.
"It's really sad. He didn't make it," she said.
The family has set a funeral for their middle child to be held Thursday, his 24th birthday.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Juan Carlos served from 1998 to 2001. He was living in Carson City, his mother Lucila Alegria said.
"All the time when he came here to the house, he'd hug his mom and give her a kiss and say, 'Hi Mom. I love you, Mom.' All the time, he respected all people," the father said. "Everybody told me all day, 'That's a good guy.'"
Contact F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.
