UPDATE - January 5, 2026:
A Reno man who killed his elderly roommate in their shared home has been sentenced to life in prison, closing a case that began with a 9-1-1 call and an argument the night before.
Thirty-six-year-old Alex Hanson will be eligible for parole after 22 years. The court also imposed an additional two to five-year sentence for a deadly weapon enhancement. The Honorable Kathleen Sigurdson presided over the sentencing.
The case dates back to September 18, 2023, when Hanson called 9-1-1 to report that his roommate, 62-year-old Jeffrey Falkenstein, was dead.
During the call, Hanson told the dispatcher, “I got into it with this guy last night,” and said the victim had died. The call was transferred to the Sheriff’s Office, where Hanson again told the operator that Falkenstein was dead in their home. In that second call, he said he knew what had happened and that the two had argued about the victim’s dating life.
Deputies later learned the men had been roommates for about six months and did not get along. Hanson told investigators they bickered and fought often.
The morning after the killing, Hanson called his mother and told her, “I think I might’ve killed somebody,” and that “I freaked out.” His mother urged him to contact the police, which led to deputies becoming involved.
At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Nate MacLellan argued for a sentence of 22 years to life, saying Hanson was the only person who truly knew what happened that night. MacLellan told the court Hanson chose not to speak with detectives or in court, leaving the family without answers about why they lost their son, brother, nephew, uncle, father, and grandfather. He also said Hanson referred to Falkenstein “as if he were a swatted fly,” and spoke only negatively about him. For that DDA MacLellan argued that Hanson deserved the life sentence.
Sigurdson imposed the life sentence, with parole eligibility after 22 years.
ORIGINAL STORY - November 14, 2023:
On Tuesday, Washoe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) detectives arrested 34-year-old Alex Hanson as the suspect in the strangulation death of 62-year-old Jeffrey Falkenstein in September.
On September 18, WCSO patrol deputies responded to a report of a deceased person at a residence on Cameo Court in Reno.
When deputies arrived, they found Falkenstein dead on the living room floor.
Detectives were called to the scene and took over the investigation.
After an ongoing investigation, detectives identified Falkenstein's roommate, Alex Hanson, as the suspect. Hanson was arrested without incident.
Hanson is currently being held in the Washoe County Detention FAcility for the charge of open murder of an elderly person.
There are no other outstanding suspects.
