Pioche resident Ronald Jeremy Robinson has pleaded guilty but mentally ill in the murder of 71-year-old Reed Hoover. 

This development follows a lengthy investigation. Lincoln County Sheriff Derek Foremaster provided an update in the homicide case Nov. 13.

On Friday, Nov. 3, at approximately 3:04 p.m., the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a potential death at Hoover’s home in Pioche. Officers arrived to discover the body of Hoover, 71, and evidence quickly led investigators to classify his death as a homicide.

Both evidence and statements led investigators to Robinson. On Nov. 5,  during an interview with law enforcement, he admitted to shooting Hoover and directed officers to the location and recovery of the firearm used in the incident. Robinson was subsequently charged with one count of Murder with a Deadly Weapon on an Older Person. He attended his first court appearance in Meadow Valley Justice Court on Nov. 6 and was placed in custody on a no-bail hold.

As the case advanced, questions arose regarding Robinson’s mental competency to proceed with court hearings. Under Nevada law, if there is doubt about a defendant’s competency, proceedings must be paused until an evaluation is conducted. The matter was sent to the Seventh Judicial District Court to assess Robinson’s mental fitness, with evaluations scheduled. The district court held a hearing Aug. 13. After reviewing multiple evaluations, the court determined that Robinson was competent to stand trial.

On Nov. 8, Robinson, with the assistance of his legal counsel, entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill to the charge of Murder with a Deadly Weapon on an Older Person. As part of a plea agreement, the Lincoln County District Attorney recommended that Robinson be sentenced to prison for a term of 70 years, with parole eligibility after 28 years. The court accepted Robinson’s plea and found that he was suffering from mental illness. His sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2025.

Foremaster expressed his appreciation for the collaborative efforts that contributed to the investigation. In the recent press release, the sheriff thanked the deputies, supervisors and detectives, as well as the Nevada Division of Investigation’s Major Crime Unit and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigation team. The sheriff’s office has confirmed that the case remains under review pending the sentencing.