SHERIDAN — Jeremiah Morley isn’t on Facebook because his old account got hacked.
But the social media platform is proving to be the vehicle to bring together the Sheridan community to rebuild a home destroyed when police tried for more than 30 hours to pry out a suspect alleged to have shot and killed Sheridan Police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee.
And it’s because of Morley’s girlfriend.
Morley stood aghast when his girlfriend Lindsay Aman flashed him the Facebook photos from her cellphone of the demolished house near his childhood home at 7th Street and North Sheridan Avenue.
“This has never happened before. I was kind of in disbelief that they tore that house apart like that,” said Morley of the construction firm that bears his last name.
So, Morley’s stepped up, and didn’t think twice.
He has offered to help rebuild the house, which belongs to Karo Hamilton, and is actively assembling a laundry list of local contractors to help out. Aman is running the show from behind the scenes.
A public meeting for contractors who want to help is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday at the Best Western on Main Street to discuss responsibilities and what everyone can do to contribute. Locals can show up a half hour later to voice interest in volunteering duties.
“My job is to orchestrate the subcontractors, plumbers, electrical and HVAC guys. From the looks of it, it’s going to be a complete loss,” said Morley of the gutted house.
The house a man suspected of shooting and killing a Sheridan police officer Tuesday barricaded himself in for more than 30 hours was torn open in several places during the standoff as law enforcement tried to get him out. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily) 
The aftermath of a more than 30-hour standoff between police and a man suspected of killing a Sheridan police officer. (Pat Maio, Cowboy State Daily) 
The house a man suspected of shooting and killing a Sheridan police officer Tuesday barricaded himself in for more than 30 hours was torn open in several places during the standoff as law enforcement tried to get him out. (Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily)
What About That House?
The community outreach began late Wednesday afternoon even before the standoff had ended.
At various times during the standoff, police used an excavator, water cannon and armored vehicle to tear open and infiltrate the house in attempts to get the suspect out. He eventually was shot and killed while trying to make and escape from the home.
What’s left looks more like a tornado ripped through Hamilton’s home.
On Wednesday, Aman wrote on the closely followed Sheridan, WY Rants and Raves page on Facebook that she and Morley wanted to keep the actual rebuild limited to licensed professionals because of warranty and insurance liabilities – which could become a sticking point as insurers may not reimburse the project.
“I feel a little overwhelmed, but I can’t imagine what the family feels like in the house,” she said. “It’s going to be a long journey back for them. It looks like the house has to be demolished. The family has belongings in there, the whole downstairs is flooded, and it is now going to be frozen.”
She said that everyone wants to help.
“I really didn’t think this through. When I showed my boyfriend the photos, he didn’t even think about what could be done. It just snowballed,” she said.
‘They Really Tore Up The Place’
Morely estimates that the rebuild could easily top $200,000, but much depends on whether the foundation is salvageable.
Some contractors have already joined the effort, including KNECHT home center providing lumber; ALC Universal for heating, ventilation and air conditioning; Taylor Willett for the electrical work; Scott McDollum for roofing and insulation; and Vacutech to do cleanup and donations.
“I think everybody cried over this,” said Brionna Neiger, bookkeeper with APlus Plumbers in Sheridan.
She also saw the photos of the destroyed house on Facebook. When owner Jack Donahue heard Morley was still looking for a plumber, he volunteered his services, Neiger said.
“This is such a big shock to our community,” she said.
“If I was in their position, I’d hope someone would help me. It’s as simple as that,” said Ron Kukal, owner of ALC Universal, an HVAC contractor.
His business has signed on to help with the rebuild, though he’s still trying to assess the damage.
“They really tore up the place. It looks like a complete rebuild is needed,” Kukal said. “Regardless, the lady who lived there needs a place to live and at a bare minimum, she needs heat. We will donate a lot of time and materials.”
His Neighborhood
The 35-year-old Morley grew up in the neighborhood, played on the baseball diamonds to the east, hung out with friends that he still chums around with today, and even recalled when the roads were dirt.
Morley said he’d love to drive past his old home at 745 E. Seventh St., but it was demolished several years ago and replaced with a modern one.
He still backpacks and fishes with a few of those friends he grew up with, mostly in the nearby Bighorn Mountains, Tongue River Reservoir in Montana and Lake De Smet halfway between Sheridan and Buffalo. Some of those buddies are helping out on the rebuild, he said.
“I miss the neighborhood. I still have friends there,” he said.
Pat Maio can be reached at: Pat@CowboyStateDaily.com
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