Officers believe the call they received Dec. 7 about a body near a truck in the Gardnerville Cemetery came from the man who was eventually fatally shot by a Douglas County sheriff’s deputy.

“Suspect David Pendleton’s cell phone, which was later recovered at the scene, revealed that a call was made to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center just minutes before the shooting incident occurred. Detectives believe it was this call that was received by the dispatcher, with the caller reporting a dead body lying in the open in the cemetery,” sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Halsey said in a statement.

It is believed Pendleton was visiting his family’s plot. His wife had recently been buried in the cemetery.

Pendleton reportedly aimed a fully loaded gun at deputies. When he wouldn’t put the weapon down he was shot.

Deputy Richard Koontz Jr., 29, has been with the department for six years. He is on administrative leave as is routine in an officer involved shooting.

DCSO was familiar with Pendleton because of his history of threatening to use weapons against civilians and law enforcement officers.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report