The Washoe County Sheriff's Office is asking everyone to think back to 1994. Specifically to December of 1994 and the Incline Village area. Because 20 years ago today they discovered the bodies of Charles and Nona Rauer there bludgeoned to death in their condominium.
"It appears it happened in the morning because it looked as though they had had breakfast and were sitting down to watch the morning news," Detective Josh Palmer says.
Palmer is with the newly created Cold Case Unit the Washoe County Sheriff's Office has created to work on the area's unsolved cases.
"There was no forced entry and not much was taken," Palmer says. "There was a bracelet that Charles Rauer had on missing and a JVC Video camera that hasn't been recovered. But there were thousands of dollars of jewelry that Nona had that wasn't even touched."
The couple's son was a major suspect in the case, even suspected by his own sister. But officials say there wasn't enough evidence to prove the case and he was never charged.
Over the past 20 years there have been some advances in investigative technology and now they say even old evidence may have new meaning.
"We want to talk to anyone around then. Maybe they were afraid back then and maybe what they saw or heard could help us now," Palmer says.
If you have any information on this case, call Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900 or text your tip to 847411 or go online to www.secretwitness.com. Your information will remain anonymous and you could be eligible for a reward.
