Arson suspect arrested after overnight search in north Nye County
An overnight search by Nye County authorities ended Friday with the arrest of a man suspected of setting a ranch house on fire in the northern part of the county.
James Edward Conley, 60, of Arizona, was working on a northern Nye County ranch when he was let go from the job earlier this week, the Nye County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
“After being fired he set the ranch house on fire, then fled the scene in his vehicle,” the sheriff’s office said. “A short distance away he wrecked his vehicle and fled the scene of the accident on foot.”
Authorities said he was last seen in the area of State Route 376 near mile marker 51 on Thursday.
“He was last seen wearing a black tank top and it appeared he had no pants on,” the sheriff’s office said.
By Friday morning, authorities issued a notice saying Conley had been captured.
“James Conley is in custody after a Round Mountain resident who had seen our release saw Conley walking down the road,” the sheriff’s office said. “Conley was taken into custody and is en route to the Tonopah Detention Center on charges of arson, larceny, leaving the scene of an accident and an out-of-state warrant.”
Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.
