Cheyenne Motel Standoff Suspect Faces Attempted First-Degree Murder Charge

CHEYENNE — The 69-year-old man involved in a four-hour standoff with a small army of police and SWAT officers at a local motel Friday afternoon remains in the Laramie County jail on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder.

Harold Wayne Sarvis also faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, the Cheyenne Police Department reports.

Sarvis is accused of shooting another man after a verbal dispute between them at the Bighorn Motel at 2004 E. Lincolnway, which was recorded on surveillance video at the motel, CPD reports.

“The preliminary investigation and surveillance video show that the victim arrived at the motel around 2:13 p.m. and a verbal dispute occurred near Sarvis’ room,” the report says. “The argument escalated and the man was shot by Sarvis.

“After the shooting, Sarvis returned to his room while the victim collapsed in the courtyard.”

That’s what Carlos Torres said he saw on the surveillance video when he reviewed it just after the shooting, he told Cowboy State Daily on Friday.

Torres works at the motel as security and maintenance manager, and said he knows the victim as a local transient who goes by Earl. Earl frequently visits people he knows at the Bighorn Motel.

Another regular at the motel said Earl is basically an OK guy, but likes to drink and get belligerent at times.

Torres said Earl had borrowed some money from Sarvis, but he doesn’t know if that’s what the argument was about.

The Standoff

While Sarvis returned to his room, law enforcement had difficulty contacting him, the CPD reports.

“After responding and securing the area, officers and assisting agencies remained on scene for several hours while working to contact Sarvis,” the report says. 

The motel was evacuated and multiple resources were called in, including the joint CPD/Laramie County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, crisis negotiators, and the bomb squad.

“The SWAT team made several announcements commanding Sarvis to exit the room, but he refused,” according to the police department report. “Crisis negotiators were able to briefly communicate with him by phone, but he was not cooperative.”

Finally, at 6:10 p.m., the SWAT team breached Sarvis’ room and sent in an unmanned drone to locate him. 

He eventually surrendered.

Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.