Crime & Safety

Reno Woman Killed Longtime Boyfriend With Current Lover, RPD Says

Two people were arrested in Florida for the murder of a Reno man who was found dead in his apartment on New Year's Day.

RENO, NV - The longtime girlfriend of a Reno man who was found murdered on New Year's Day allegedly conspired to kill him, planning his murder from Jacksonville, FL with her current love interest, according to Reno Police.

John Kent Lovely, 48, was found dead in his apartment on Jan. 1 after relatives who hadn't heard from him asked police to check on him. The investigation identified Jennifer Lee Baldwin, a Reno resident formerly of Jacksonville, and Herman Matasar, a current Jacksonville resident, as suspects in the murder. RPD homicide detectives arrested the pair after traveling to Jacksonville with warrants for both.

According to police, the victim and Baldwin moved to Reno together from Jacksonville in 2016. Baldwin returned to Florida late in 2017.

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Homicide detectives worked with Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to arrest Baldwin and Matasar. The arrest and search warrants yielded several pieces of evidence that indicate "Baldwin and Matasar conspired to murder Lovely Jr. for some time before actually carrying out the plan and took several elaborate steps to attempt to cover up both of their involvement in the murder," police said.

Baldwin and Matasar are both being charged with murder with a deadly weapon. Police said that the investigation is still ongoing and additional charges could be filed.

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Images via Reno Police Department

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