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Two arrested in plot to kill principal witness in Alea Clark murder case

Two face charges in connection with a plot to murder a principal witness in an open murder case involving the death of former Lyon County resident Alea Clark.

KTVN Channel 2 reports Ryan Coddington and Melanie Patellaro were booked on the charges after an investigation involving the Nevada Department of Public Safety, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Coddington is being held without bail in the open murder of Alea Clark and was administratively booked on June 16 for Soliciation of Murder, KTVN reports. He was booked into jail Feb. 5 for the murder of Alea Clark, whose remains were recovered Feb. 3 in the dry lake bed portion of Lake Lahontan State Park. Her family had reported her missing in January.

Two others were also arrested and booked on open murder charges: Toni Hardin, 31, of Dayton and Patricia Baker, 40, of Silver Springs.

Court proceedings for the open murder charge brought against Coddington begin with an Aug. 18, 2 p.m. status hearing and a Sept. 14, 9 a.m. preliminary hearing, both in Yerington, according to the Lyon County District Attorney's Office.

Patellaro was arrested for the Solicitation of Murder and booked on June 9 and is being held on $20,000 bail, KTVN Channel 2 reports.

In May, Coddington attempted to escape the Lyon County Jail and injured two deputies. Coddington is currently housed in the Lyon County detention facility's maximum housing unit.

Carson Now will update this story as more information becomes available.

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