Source: Photo by Sean O’Flaherty aka Seano1 07:18, 27 February 2006 / Wikimedia Commons
A 77-year-old Truckee homeowner died in Washoe County, Nevada last month, and within weeks, investigators say his unoccupied home had been ransacked, with firearms, money and a vehicle missing. Now two San Mateo County residents are facing charges in connection with the burglary of Eugene “Gene” Canata’s property.
According to The Sacramento Bee, Canata had his primary residence in Truckee, within Nevada County, but died in October in Washoe County, Nevada. The investigation opened on Oct. 22, when a public administrator with the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office was notified of his death, the paper reports. Authorities said at the time that no next of kin or will had been immediately located, according to News 4.
Guns, Cash and a Car Reported Missing
With no family identified, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office public administrator took on responsibility for safeguarding Canata’s assets and settling his affairs. During a late-October property check, the administrator found that Canata’s Truckee home had been burglarized — several belongings, including firearms, money and a vehicle, had been stolen, per the Sacramento Bee’s report…