WCDA Prosecutes Domestic Battery Cases

Secures Conviction and Sentencing

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office has secured guilty verdicts and sentencings in two Domestic Battery cases.

“Holding offenders accountable who commit Domestic Violence in our community remains one of the office’s highest priorities, especially prosecutions against those who are repeat offenders and commit these dangerous crimes in the presence of children,” said DA Chris Hicks.

Christopher Wheeler was found guilty by jury of Domestic Battery with a Prior Felony Conviction for Domestic Battery, Dissuading a Witness from Calling 911, and False Imprisonment. Reno Police initially responded to the apartment of the 47-year-old Reno resident and his wife, following a report of a physical fight, after the victim’s 11-year-old daughter called 911. When law enforcement arrived on scene, they found the door to the apartment had been barricaded by Wheeler. After eventually gaining entry, the victim told police that she and the defendant had woken up and gotten into a verbal argument, which quickly escalated to Wheeler grabbing the victim and slamming her head onto the ground. The physical fight continued to escalate, with the defendant grabbing, slapping, and trying to strangle the victim. The woman’s daughter was able to escape the residence with two other children and place a call to 911 for assistance. Wheeler had been previously convicted of a third offense of Domestic Battery on December 15, 2016 and Domestic Battery Causing Substantial Bodily Harm on January, 28, 2019.  Sentencing for Wheeler is set for January 11, 2024 before the Honorable Judge Connie Steinheimer. 

Anthony Haller of Reno has been sentenced to 20 years in prison with eligibility for parole after 8 years after previously being found guilty of Domestic Battery Causing Substantial Bodily Harm - Victim is an Older Person. The case against Haller began in January of this year when Reno Police officers responded to a stabbing near Kings Row. When officers arrived, they found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds. The 69-year-old woman told police she was in a dating relationship with Haller and that the defendant had become agitated for an unknown reason before attacking her. After stabbing the victim, Haller began choking her before dragging her outside their residence into a parking lot. At that time, the woman was able to escape and ran to a good Samaritan who called 911. Officers were able to track Haller’s footsteps in the snow to the back of the residence, where he appeared on the back balcony. Police conducted a forced entry and Haller was eventually detained. The Honorable Judge Kathleen Sigurdson presided over the case and imposed the sentence.