Cause of death revealed for Las Vegas-area veterinarian found in Lake Mead
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A high-profile Las Vegas-area veterinarian who disappeared in April died by suicide in a drowning at Lake Mead, the Clark County coroner's office ruled Wednesday.
Crews found Dr. Shawn Frehner's body near the Boulder Islands within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on April 18. His identity was confirmed on April 19 through dental records.
The coroner's office confirmed Frehner's cause of death was drowning with the use of pentobarbital. His manner of death was listed as suicide.
Pentobarbital is a barbiturate, which is a type of medication that acts as a central nervous system depressant. It is also a common animal euthanasia drug in the United States and Canada, according to the National Library of Medicine.
The search for Frehner began at Lake Mead after his keys, wallet, and cellphone were found in his truck parked at Hemmenway Harbor on April 7.
According to a missing person report filed the day after he disappeared, Frehner's father, Rex, told police the last time he spoke with Shawn was on Sunday, April 6, at around 9 a.m., and his son told him he was having a hard time with one of the horses.
A video 8 News Now obtained showed Frehner jabbing a horse in the face before he went missing. The video also showed Frehner flushing a horse's nose with a syringe — a normal practice. Shortly after, he is seen jabbing the horse in the face.
Frehner issued an apology after another video showing him kicking a horse's head went viral.
'I did not blatantly haul off and kick this horse as it appears in the video. That was not my intention at all,' Frehner wrote. 'It was done simply to get the horse in a better position so that he could breathe and get up and move so I could again try to anesthetize.'
'But yes, I did kick him right in the chi,n and I very much do apologize and wish this never happened,' he wrote.
In his apology, Frehner said he was attempting to reposition the horse to help it breathe, but recognized he had kicked the horse. He said he wished the situation had never happened.
He was the subject of an investigation by Nye County deputies for animal cruelty following a complaint from the horse's owner.
Records 8 News Now obtained showed the Nevada State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners placed Frehner's license on probation in 2016. He agreed to a year-long license suspension.
The reasons for discipline included handwriting his medical records onto the back of invoices or call logs. He also gave prescription medicine to clients in 'plastic baggies,' without verifying how much medicine was handed out. A woman named Mary, who spoke with 8 News Now, said she's had negative experiences with Frehner and witnessed his actions first-hand.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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