Woman found shot to death in Fallon;Ex-boyfriend sought by police

FALLON - A woman murdered in the garage of her home Sunday said before her death that her ex-boyfriend threatened to shoot her a week ago.

Donna Petro, 43, obtained a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, Julian Wayne Oceguera, on Jan. 18 after a domestic violence incident she said happened Jan. 16. In her statement asking for the order, Petro claims Oceguera struck her in the face before threatening her.

"I was crying and asked him to please not hit me again, that he hurt me. He said he should just put a bullet in me," Petro wrote.

She was found dead in her home at 880 Sunset Drive at 11 p.m. Sunday by a family member. She had been shot in the head with a small-caliber weapon, said Brooks.

He said from the way the victim was dressed, it appeared she had been home for a while. Police believe the murder happened between 5 and 11 p.m. They are now searching for Oceguera.

"We want him to come in. We don't want him contacted on a dark night and dark street because police officers believe him to be armed," Fallon Police Chief Russ Brooks said.

In her statement to obtain the restraining order, Petro said she had had an eight- or nine-year relationship with Ocegura, but they separated in June. She alleges he met her at her house Jan. 16 as she came home at 6:45 p.m.

She wrote that Ocegura began questioning her about where she had been and if she was dating anyone.

"I could tell he was mad by the tone of his voice and look on his face," Petro wrote. "He had also been calling my cell phone and leaving messages. He kept asking me where I had been and who I was with."

After a brief argument, court documents state, Ocegura hit Petro on the left side of her face, made the threat about shooting her and walked away.

Petro filed a police report with the Fallon Police Department. Her face was slightly red when she came to the station to report the incident, Brooks said. He said Monday that no charges were filed against Oceguera because City Attorney Rod McCormick didn't think there was enough evidence to prove domestic battery.

"(McCormick) reviewed the case and said there did not appear to be enough evidence to collaborate her statement," Brooks said. "Ocegura contradicted her statement."

McCormick did not return a telephone call about the case.

Brooks said Petro reported to police that Ocegura called her house several times on Saturday. The order states he must stay at least 100 yards from Petro and her children, and may not contact her by telephone.

Police interviewed Ocegura Sunday morning, but he was not arrested.

"He came into the police department, and he did not show any hostility," Brooks said. "Later in the evening of the 23rd was when she was discovered dead."

NAS Fallon security followed a car matching the description of the one police believe Oceguera could be driving Sunday night before Petro's body was discovered.

They backed off the chase on eastbound Austin Highway after speeds reached 100 mph. Police don't know whether the vehicle was actually driven by Oceguera.

Marlene Garcia can be contacted at mgarcia@lahontanvalleynews.com.