Ronald Meluso, 63, of Lucerne, California, was murdered and investigators located human remains in a rural area off Bartlett Springs Road in northern Lake County that were strongly believed to be his. On January 13, 2022, 27-year-old Nova Maye Deperno of Occidental was arrested in Sonoma County in connection with Meluso’s disappearance and murder. Deperno provided statements to detectives and assisted in locating the remains.

Prosecutors charged Deperno with murder, burglary, vehicle theft, and buying, selling or receiving stolen property, and alleged personal use of a firearm in an attempted felony. After preliminary hearings where witnesses and text-message evidence were presented, the court found sufficient cause to hold Deperno to answer. There were multiple continuances for discovery issues requested by defense counsel Kevin Davenport.

Deperno later entered a no contest plea to the murder charge and admitted the special allegation of personal use of a firearm; the court accepted the plea and referred the case for a pre-sentencing report with sentencing set for March 2023. The prosecution elected not to seek the death penalty. Does anyone have information about Meluso’s last known movements or the area off Bartlett Springs Road?