Jury: Former USDA exec committed suicide, not murdered

Barbara Blackstock, former executive director of the USDA's Farm Service Agency in Elko, hanged herself in the family garage of their LaMoille home in October 1997, the jury determined.

The three-member panel reached the verdict after just 14 minutes of deliberations Thursday, ending a coroner's inquest called by Elko County District Attorney Gary Woodbury.

Witnesses included Blackstock's husband of 27 years, Bruce Blackstock, and her sister-in-law, Marjorie Mariluch.

Family members and Elko attorney Stu Wilson testified they tried to talk Blackstock out of killing herself the night before and the morning of the suicide.

Woodbury called the inquest after outside investigators Tony Lesperance and Ed Presley approached local law enforcement with stories of a drug ring, extramarital affairs and as much as $5 million embezzled over several years.

State and federal investigators believe about $800,000 was embezzled from the federal agency.

Blackstock, 47, had served 11 years on the Elko County school board. She also operated the Dirtbusters car wash here. She died less than a week after federal agents seized records from her office.

Authorities contend 84 checks issued between 1992 and 1997 were involved. They allege some of the checks, made payable to farmers or ranchers, were forged and deposited to bank accounts controlled by Blackstock and her sister.

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