CASPER — A 26-year-old Casper man who police said fired four bullets into his ceiling and into a neighbor’s apartment above him after making violent threats pleaded not guilty Tuesday.
Travis Eugene Nelson appeared before Natrona County District Court Judge Kerri Johnson for his arraignment on one count of aggravated assault and battery.
He stood beside his defense attorney Timothy Cotton in a sweatshirt and jeans, having posted a $35,000 cash or surety bond following his arrest in October.
Nelson told the judge that he had a bipolar disorder but was able to understand the proceedings and information being presented about the charge and his rights. Johnson outlined the charge and potential penalty and asked him how he pleaded.
“Not guilty,” he said.
Cotton asked the judge to revise his client’s bond to allow him to leave the state and visit his parents in Thornton, Colorado.
“His parents are his only support system,” Cotton said.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Blaine Nelson said the request was reasonable and told the court the victim asks that the court ensure a “no-contact” bond provision remains in place.
Cotton told the judge that his client had moved out of the apartment complex where the incident occurred.
Johnson said she would allow the defendant to leave the state provided he signed a waiver of extradition and emphasized he was to have no access to firearms.
Allegations against Travis Nelson stem from a 911 call from a female on Oct. 9, 2025, at 11:14 p.m., in which she told the dispatcher that her neighbor had sent her messages that included a photo of three weapons and a threat to shoot her.
The woman told police that she did not know Nelson well, had only spoken to him one time, and that somehow, he had obtained her phone number.
A police affidavit states a dispatcher encouraged the woman to leave the second-floor apartment and meet with officers in a patrol car.
The woman walked out to officers and told officers that she had heard a gunshot coming from the rear of her apartment.
Drinking Vodka
A search of neighboring apartments led police to Nelson, who left his apartment directly below the woman as officers approached.
He told officers that he had been drinking more vodka than he should have and had been dealing with “bullshit” with one of his neighbors.
He also told officers he had a weapon, a Henry lever-action .22 caliber that “accidentally discharged” into the apartment ceiling of his bedroom.
Officers asked him if the discharge had anything to do with his neighbor and Nelson told police that “he was trying to choose his words carefully” so he did not get in trouble, the affidavit states.
“Nelson continually repeated that it was an accidental discharge,” the police affidavit states.
Nelson told police he had a 12-gauge shotgun and the Henry in his trunk because he was planning to leave on a road trip, but officers had arrived before he could leave.
The affidavit states that instead of the shotgun, officers found the shotgun and a brown lever-action rifle in the open trunk.
Text messages shown to officers by the female neighbor showed a black AR-style rifle, a lever action rifle, and a black shotgun. A text message with the weapons read: “Who said anything about that?”
When the woman replied: “Who would send a gun?” she received a response via text of: “It’s all fun and games until it’s not, I’ll come knock on your shit and air you out, just gimme the word.”
The woman did not respond, according to the affidavit.
Shell Casing Evidence
Police obtained a search warrant for Nelson’s apartment and found several other weapons as well as .22-caliber shell casings on the floor.
There were three casings in a bedroom, three in a bedroom closet, two in a kitchen and one in a hallway, the affidavit states.
“Officers observed two holes in the ceiling of the kitchen, one hole in the bedroom and one in the hallway between the kitchen and the bedroom which were consistent with a .22 long rifle cartridge being fired into the ceiling,” the affidavit states.
The Henry lever action rifle recovered in the trunk of Nelson’s car had six rounds remaining in the tube, with one of the rounds jammed in the chamber, the affidavit states.
As officers executed the search warrant, the woman returned to her apartment and officers could hear her walking above.
“Based on the shell casing evidence, and the placement of the apparent bullet holes in the ceiling, it appeared as though Nelson was attempting to listen for where (the woman) was walking, and placing his shots aiming for the footsteps,” the affidavit states.
Officers found two bullet holes in the woman’s bedroom ceiling, but believe Nelson tried to shoot at least four times from his apartment into the woman’s unit, above him.
Police also recovered other loaded weapons lying on Nelson’s bed that included a .38-special revolver, AR-style rifle, .308-hunting rifle, and a .22-caliber air rifle.
The aggravated assault and battery charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
