Alleged killer on probation for two counts of burglary

A 19-year-old man who allegedly shot and killed a Silver Springs teen during a botched burglary Monday was on probation in Lander County for two counts of burglary.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Lyon County charges Alexander Steven King with first-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon, an alternative charge of felony murder with the use of a deadly weapon, burglary with the use of a deadly weapon, home invasion and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to Lyon County Sheriff's Lt. Bryan Veil, King was allegedly burglarizing a home on Tonopah Street in Silver Springs when Stuart Gardner, 18, and his girlfriend Lucy Potter returned home about 2:30 p.m.

Veil said Gardner parked his vehicle and went after his dog which had gotten out of the house. Potter went inside the house alone.

Inside she was allegedly confronted by King and dragged by her hair through the house. King then ran outside, said Veil, and Potter yelled out to Gardner who was walking toward the house.

"Initially we thought the victim was chasing the suspect, but now, just from looking at how the evidence is, it looks like the suspect was running toward the victim. We don't know if a confrontation happened or exactly what happened but that's when a shot was fired," said Veil.

The bullet from a semi-automatic pistol pierced Gardner, a 2010 Silver Stage High School graduate, in his right torso.

Veil said Gardner was rushed to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, where he died.

King allegedly fled, and residents who heard the sirens and saw a suspicious looking man running through the nearby desert directed officers to King's location.

Veil said when King was found he still allegedly possessed the loaded pistol and a backpack containing items from the home.

Potter and Gardner lived at the house with Gardner's grandfather, said Veil.

It's not clear how long King has been in the area.

"It looks like he's been bouncing around from house to house," said Veil. "He made an indication that he lived in that area, but of course he didn't know the address."

Veil said King was "very nervous," when arrested by officers.

"He denied everything. He said he was running because he heard a shot and got scared," said Veil.

A judgment of conviction on two counts of burglary out of Lander County dated June 28, 2010, indicates King was sentenced to 60 months probation, with concurrent sentences of 16-72 months in prison suspended.

As a term of his probation, he was ordered to take anger management counseling, refrain from gambling, drugs and alcohol, take his prescribed medication which was not noted, serve a year in jail (with credit for 255 days served) and perform 20 hours of community service.

He is being held without bail and will appear in court on Jan. 13.