A Lander, Wyoming, man whose six-day murder trial ended in January with a hung jury changed course Tuesday and pleaded guilty to bludgeoning another local man to death with a pipe.
Michael Vigil, 40, also confessed during his change-of-plea hearing Tuesday in Fremont County District Court.
“I struck the victim with a pipe, out of fear, and he died, Your Honor,” Vigil told Fremont County District Court Judge Jason Conder. He described picking up the metal pipe while within his own home and bludgeoning the victim three times.
Vigil was referencing the night of April 13-14, 2024, when he invited Warren Jorgenson, 57, to his home. The pair drank and visited. At some point, things grew intense for Vigil, who suffers from schizophrenia.
Vigil has suffered from delusions throughout his adult life and endured childhood sexual abuse, according to statements given during Vigil’s January trial.
Vigil told police around the time of his arrest that he thought Jorgenson was trying to make a sexual advance on him, which neither the prosecutor nor defense have advanced as an absolute truth. A major theory at trial was that Vigil fully believed he was going to be sexually attacked at the time, under intense delusions.
The jury at that time failed to decide between convicting Vigil of murder, acquitting him altogether or acquitting him on the grounds that he was too mentally ill that night to rationalize his conduct or conform it to the law.
Vigil’s defense attorney Ryan Semerad asked his client questions Tuesday to clarify the confession, so that it would fit the conduct to which the man was pleading guilty.
“You’ve come to learn since then that there was no reason to be scared, yes?”
“Yes,” answered Vigil.
To accept Vigil’s guilty plea, Conder would have to conclude that the man’s confession showed he killed Jorgenson on purpose, and with malice.
The confession established that, said the judge, “especially when reasonable and logical inferences are made.”
The Deal
Second degree murder in Wyoming is punishable by a term of between 20 years and life in prison.
Vigil gave his guilty plea as part of an April 7 plea agreement, which says he’ll be sentenced to between 25 and 50 years in prison, pay any restitution if ordered, and pay court costs.
If Conder rejects that plea agreement, Vigil may establish a new one or advance to another trial.
Vigil’s sentencing is set for July 7 in Conder’s court in Lander.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
