A convicted killer who slipped away from Nevada parole supervision is back behind bars in Reno after U.S. Marshals grabbed him on April 24. James Tjeltveit was arrested in a coordinated operation involving state and federal officers and booked into the county detention center. Authorities say he fled parole supervision in December 2025 after being released years earlier, and his capture caps a months‑long search by parole and fugitive investigators.
Nevada State Police teamed up with the U.S. Marshals Service's Nevada Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force to track Tjeltveit down, according to KOLO. The outlet reports that marshals led the April 24 operation in Reno as part of a broader push to reel in violent offenders who have slipped out of supervision.
Tjeltveit was convicted of first‑degree murder in the death of his juvenile stepdaughter and was sentenced on May 12, 1989, to life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to reporting that originally appeared in the Reno Gazette Journal. The report states he was released on parole on Aug. 2, 2002, and later absconded from supervision in December 2025. He was booked into the Washoe County Detention Center on related charges, the outlet adds.
How Marshals Track Fugitives In Nevada
The U.S. Marshals Service says its Nevada Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force works with local agencies to find and arrest violent offenders who duck supervision, according to a Marshals Service release. The release describes a recent effort in which task force teams used tips, surveillance and coordinated operations to help make more than a hundred arrests statewide. Officials say that kind of multi‑agency teamwork is crucial when fugitives move across county lines and try to disappear.
What Happens Next
Authorities say Tjeltveit will remain in custody while prosecutors and parole officials decide the next steps, and the Reno Gazette Journal reports he was booked on related charges at the Washoe County facility. Any parole revocation proceedings would be handled by Nevada parole authorities, who can order him back to prison if they find violations. Local officials have not released additional details about the investigation or whether more charges could be coming.
