A former Las Vegas Judge committed suicide a year after she resigned from her position after facing an ethics investigation.
Per the Clark County coroner’s office, Judge Melanie Andress-Tobiasson died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to Andress-Tobiasson, she resigned in an attempt to avoid a complicated ethics investigation that started when she attempted to rescue her daughter from being allegedly sex trafficked.
Andress-Tobiasson troubles began when her 16 year old daughter started to work at Top Knotch, a clothing store that Andress-Tobiasso believed was running a prostitution ring that would recruit teenage girls.
In an act she believed would protect her daughter, Andress-Tobiasso reached out to local law enforcement to warn them about the store owner at the time, but she claimed she received no action.
This led to to Abdress-Tobiasso to reach out to Federal investigators which resulted in the Nevada’s Judicial Discipline Commission to launch an investigation into Andress-Tobiasso for breaching judicial rules.
The New York Post reported more details regarding the probe:
Andress-Tobiasson said she had to go to the FBI with the information after being ignored by local police — which resulted in officers investigating her for allegedly breaching judicial rules by making an allegation to federal agents.
A complaint filed against Andress-Tobiasson alleged that she failed to comply with and uphold the law, and allowed family interests and relations to influence her conduct, the Daily Mail reported.
Valentine the man behind the store Andress-Tobiasson believed was a prostitution ring would later be convicted of a burglary charge and be a person of interest in a double homicide.