On April 22, 2026, the Nevada Police Department responded to the 1200 block of East Douglas to investigate a report of a possible deceased individual. Upon arrival, officers located a deceased person inside an outbuilding on the property. It was determined that the subject had been deceased for multiple weeks.
The Nevada Police Department requested an autopsy through the Vernon County Coroner’s Office as part of the investigation.
During the course of the investigation, detectives discovered that two individuals had located the deceased weeks earlier but failed to notify authorities. Detectives conducted follow-up work, including reviewing audio evidence and conducting interviews related to the case.
As a result of the investigation, detectives developed probable cause for the arrest of both individuals. They were identified as Dustin Vittetoe, 51, of Nevada, and Stephanie Hackman, 42, of Nevada.
The Vernon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed one count of Abandonment of a Corpse against each individual. On May 5, Nevada Police took Hackman into custody in rural Vernon County. Vittetoe was already being held at the Vernon County Jail on unrelated charges.
Great work by our investigations division on the follow-up work that was involved in this case.
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