RENO - Murder suspect Gary Brown may have been spotted in the San Francisco-area recently, but Nevada investigators have been unable to locate the Virginia Highlands man, Detective Sgt. Jenine Davis, with the Nevada Department of Public Safety, said Wednesday.
"The person said it was either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day they thought they saw him," Davis said. "But that is an unconfirmed sighting."
Brown, 51, is suspected of gunning down Linda Ziegler, 52, a 28-year-veteran of the San Francisco Police Department at the home she owned in the Virginia City Highlands.
Her body was found there by Storey County deputies on Dec. 14 after a relative called police to say Brown had left a message the day before stating "You better answer this, I just killed Linda."
An autopsy report revealed Ziegler, a horse enthusiast who dreamed of one day bringing her sister and son to the area to live with her, died from a gunshot wound to the front of her head at "intermediate range," according to the report. Two $100 bills were found lying on her body.
Ziegler's sister Carol said the couple met when they worked together at a retail store in the Bay area in 1999.
"We knew all along he was pretty creepy," she said. "But Linda loved him."
Brown is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He is believed to be driving a silver/gray 1989 Toyota four-wheel-drive pickup with Nevada license plates 682 NVN.
A no-bail murder warrant was issued for his arrest Dec. 15.
Anyone with information is asked to contact 911 then call Davis at 684-7430.
Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.
