Couple to be sentenced on murder charges

By Mike Henderson

Reno Gazette-Journal
Tuesday January 23rd, 2001

A husband and wife scheduled for trial Monday on murder charges in the death of her ex-husband nearly five years ago have pleaded guilty and face sentencing Feb. 23.

Gordon DelaVega, 40, and Nell Johnston, 36, were convicted by Washoe District Judge Brent Adams in the death of Joe Johnston, whose body was found under a house in Stead in May 1999. They were charged shortly after the body was found.

DelaVega pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and faces up to life in prison. Johnston pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and faces up to six years in prison.

DelaVega, of Yerington, told reporters several days after the body was found that he killed Johnston in March 1996. DelaVega said he was high on drugs and had been awake for days when he killed Johnston in self-defense and buried his body under the house.

He told the Reno Gazette-Journal he cracked Johnston’s skull with a metal table leg after Johnston came at him with a knife. He and Nell Johnston then buried the body under the house and concocted a story to explain his disappearance, DelaVega said.

Nell Johnston was married to Joe Johnston at the time of his death and later married DelaVega.

When they were charged in the death, Johnston and DelaVega were already in prison on unrelated charges.

She was serving a one- to four-year term in Nevada State Prison in Las Vegas on a weapons charge and he was in Lyon County Jail on charges of failure to pay child support.


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