Crime and Courts Reporter

Clair McFarland

Clair McFarland is a general assignment reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Riverton, Wyoming. She specializes in crime and court reporting and social issues coverage. Clair also writes a twice-monthly column on motherhood and country living.

Previously, Clair wrote for The Ranger, the Lander Journal and the Wind River News. She is an award-winning journalist, columnist and poet, who joined Cowboy State Daily on Valentine's Day, 2022.

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Latest from Clair McFarland

Gillette Man Faces Attempted Murder Charge In Shooting Of Romantic Rival

A 22-year-old Gillette man is accused of shooting a man whom he called the ex-boyfriend of a woman he was seeing. He faces a charge of aggravated assault and attempted second-degree murder.

Clair McFarlandApril 22, 2025

Ousted Librarian Sues Campbell County After Pride Month, Books Controversies

Former Campbell County public library director Terri Lesley on Monday sued the county, two county boards and six county leaders and employees, alleging discrimination. Lesley was fired in 2023 after years of sparring over LGBTQ and sexually-themed books.

Clair McFarlandApril 22, 2025

Judge Halts Wyoming’s Newest Abortion Laws During Lawsuit

A retired judge halted Wyoming’s two newest abortion restrictions Monday during a lawsuit challenging them as unconstitutional. One requires ultrasounds and the other that the state’s only abortion clinic certify as a surgical center.

Clair McFarlandApril 21, 2025

A former Jackson Hole fire chief, Ned Brady Hansen, charged with child sex crimes in Utah is now being sued by two girls who claim he abused them and distributed nude photos of them. They were younger than 7 and 5, and he would have been in Jackson for part of that timespan.

Lawsuit Claims Man Molested Girls While He Was Jackson Hole Fire Chief

A former Jackson Hole fire chief charged with child sex crimes in Utah is now being sued by two girls who claim he abused them and distributed nude photos of them. They were younger than 7 and 5, and he would have been in Jackson for part of that timespan.

Clair McFarlandApril 21, 2025

Wyoming Democrats plan to rally Saturday across Wyoming against President Donald Trump and his policies — even if they are appealing to folks in the most Trump-friendly state in the nation.

Protestors To Rally Against Trump Across Wyoming, Nation’s Most Trump-Friendly State

Wyoming protestors plan to rally Saturday across Wyoming against President Donald Trump and his policies — even if they they're appealing to folks in the most Trump-friendly state in the nation.

Clair McFarlandApril 19, 2025

Wyoming Tribe's Law Firm One Of The Few Fighting Trump's Big-Law Orders

While nine law firms have made deals to avoid President Donald Trump’s orders targeting them, the one that works for Wyoming’s largest federally recognized Indian tribe is continuing to fight the federal government in court.

Clair McFarlandApril 18, 2025

Ronald Allington barricaded himself inside home for 11 hours this week thrust a Samurai-style katana sword through a door at cops, police say. He also brandished a BB gun that looked like a Sig Sauer pistol.

Standoff Suspect Thrust Katana Sword Through Door, Pointed BB Pistol, Police Say

The Riverton man who barricaded himself inside home for 11 hours this week thrust a Samurai-style katana sword through a door at cops, police say. He also brandished a BB gun that looked like a Sig Sauer pistol.

Clair McFarlandApril 18, 2025

Flaggers and other road work crews are busy during the spring and summer season making repairs and upgrades.

Oregon Man Charged With Assault Says Yellowstone Flagger Jumped In Front Of Jeep

An Oregon man faces the felony charge of attacking a government employee after authorities say he hit a Yellowstone National Park flagger with his Jeep. The man counters, saying the flagger jumped in front of his Jeep and tried to stop it with his hands.

Clair McFarlandApril 17, 2025

Clair McFarland: World’s Most Coddled Crime Reporter, Ready For Duty

Columnist Clair McFarland writes: "I have found after several years of covering crime, that where the capacity for violence is greatest, chivalry is also at its peak. It’s the most certain correlation I’ve found in this job."

Clair McFarlandApril 17, 2025

Brief: Gillette Man Didn’t Know Gun Was Loaded When He Shot Pet Cat Dead

A 19-year-old unintentionally killed an 8-year-old pet tabby cat while using it for what he thought was dry-fire, or unloaded, target practice inside a Gillette home Wednesday morning, police say.

Clair McFarlandApril 17, 2025

The back of the home on Pinecrest Street in Riverton that Ron Allington shares with his mother - after an 11-hour law enforcement standoff Wednesday and Thursday.

Riverton Standoff Suspect Was Supposed To Get Probation, Then Skipped Court

A Riverton man who prompted an 11-hour police standoff Wednesday and Thursday was wanted because he skipped a court hearing. At that hearing, he was supposed to receive probation on a felony-level charge for threatening to shoot up the local hospital.

Clair McFarlandApril 17, 2025

Wanted Riverton Man Tear-Gassed, Arrested To End 11-Hour Armed Standoff

A Riverton man wanted on a warrant for allegedly threatening to "shoot up" a hospital barricaded himself inside a house for about 11 hours before being tear-gassed and arrested just before 4 a.m. Thursday. He was armed with a knife and gun, police report.

Clair McFarland & Greg JohnsonApril 17, 2025

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Riverton and Lander police officers and Fremont County Sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday surrounded a Riverton home with their rifles out in an apparent standoff with a barricaded man.

Wanted Riverton Man In Standoff With Law Enforcement

Riverton and Lander police officers and Fremont County Sheriff’s deputies have surrounded a Riverton home as of late Wednesday evening with their rifles out in an apparent standoff with a barricaded man wanted on a warrant.

Clair McFarlandApril 17, 2025

5 Teens From Wyoming Juvenile Facility Caught In Nebraska With Stolen Vehicles

Details remain sparse about five teens ages 14-17 who reportedly left a juvenile facility in Wyoming and fled through Nebraska in two stolen vehicles Sunday, then leading authorities on a foot chase.

Clair McFarlandApril 16, 2025

Wyoming Tanker Truck Explosion That Killed Driver Ruled Accidental

The death of a woman Saturday in a tanker explosion north of Wright, Wyoming, was accidental, according to the Campbell County coroner. The exact origin of the explosion of a tanker carrying hydrochloric acid is still under investigation.

Clair McFarlandApril 16, 2025

Protestors outside the Wyoming Supreme Court in Cheyenne on April 16, 2025, before the court heard oral arguments on a challenge to state abortion bans.

Future Of Abortion In Wyoming Now In Hands Of State Supreme Court

The Wyoming Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a case that will determine the future of abortion in Wyoming. A pro-choice coalition argued women have a right to the procedure, while the state's attorney argued the Legislature can ban it.

Clair McFarlandApril 16, 2025

A former Riverton firefighter, Charlie Joseph Lawrence, received a prison sentence of 7-12 years Tuesday. Multiple women came forward during a monthslong investigation saying he offered them rides, then groped them.

Former Firefighter Gets 7-12 Years For Groping Women While Giving Them Rides

A former Riverton firefighter received a prison sentence of 7-12 years Tuesday. Multiple women came forward during a monthslong investigation saying he offered them rides, then groped them.

Clair McFarlandApril 16, 2025

Jackson Man Could Be Deported For The Eighth Time If Convicted

Federal deportation authorities Monday arrested a Mexican national in Teton County, Wyoming, who has been removed from the United States seven times in the past 20 years, court documents say.

Clair McFarlandApril 15, 2025

Micah Wyatt is Fremont County's new top prosecutor in one of Wyoming’s most crime-riddled counties.

New Top Prosecutor Named For One Of Wyoming’s Highest-Crime Counties

Fremont County has a new top prosecutor for one of the Wyoming’s most crime-riddled counties. Asked how they’d reduce crime, one of three finalists for the job said that “none of us were given a magic wand upon graduation from law school.”

Clair McFarlandApril 15, 2025

Nearly All Vedauwoo Volunteer Firefighters Resign, Upset With Board Actions

Nearly all members of the Vedauwoo Volunteer Fire Department resigned Thursday. Department leaders say the Albany County Fire District Board acted without transparency, while critics of the department say its members have been causing problems.

Clair McFarlandApril 15, 2025

Judge Says Ousted Gillette’s Librarian's Discrimination Lawsuit Can Go Forward

A fired Campbell County library director's lawsuit against the family that accused her of peddling pornography can go to forward, a federal judge ruled Friday. The judge said the civil suit can continue because the law protects LGBTQ advocates.

Clair McFarlandApril 14, 2025

Interstate 80 is one of the busiest — and most dangerous — east-west routes across Wyoming and the nation.

Hageman Wants To Ditch Policy That Keeps Non-English-Speaking Truckers On The Road

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman wants the Dept of Transportation to reconsider a policy that allows non-English-speaking truckers on the road. The policy is a “major safety issue for all drivers," she said.

Clair McFarlandApril 12, 2025

Two Men Accused Of Drunken Rampage That Left Kinnear Post Office ‘Trashed’

Two Fremont County men in their 20s are accused of trashing the post office of tiny Kinnear, Wyoming, early Monday morning. They were found afterward, passed out in a running truck, court documents say.

Clair McFarland & Greg JohnsonApril 11, 2025

Sheriff John Grossnickle signs an MOU with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to build a task force of up to five deputies who can enforce immigration laws.

Sweetwater County Sheriff Building Local ICE Task Force

Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It will let the sheriff build an ICE task force with up to five of his own deputies.

Clair McFarlandApril 10, 2025

Abortion Case Reassigned To Retired Judge Voters Can’t Oust

A pro-choice coalition’s court challenge to Wyoming’s newest abortion restrictions has been reassigned to a retired judge. That means he’s not up for retention every six years and can’t be ousted by voters.

Clair McFarlandApril 10, 2025

A Union Pacific locomotive pulls a string of empty cars through Wyoming's coal country.

Wyoming Man Who Says AI Driver Wrecked Train Settles With Union Pacific

A Pinedale, Wyoming, man secured a settlement against Union Pacific Railroad on Wednesday. He’d accused the railroad of making him work on a locomotive driven by an artificial intelligence system that caused a crash.

Clair McFarlandApril 10, 2025

The coffee shop where Scott Schroefel of Casper is accused of running an illegal gambling operation.

Wyoming Gambling Law Showdown Averted After Deal Struck Over Illegal Operation

Scott Schroefel, 54, pleaded guilty to illegal gambling Wednesday in Natrona County District Court in Casper. Before the plea, Schroefel’s attorney challenged Wyoming’s gambling laws as unconstitutional.

Clair McFarlandApril 09, 2025

Duck Hunter Gets 3 Years Probation For Unintentional Shooting Death Of Friend

A 21-year-old Pinedale man says he feels “incredible sadness” every day for the unintentional shooting death of his friend while duck hunting last year. He was given three years of probation Wednesday.

Clair McFarlandApril 09, 2025

Neighbors Tried To Get Laramie Man To Stop Slamming Another’s Head Into Asphalt

A 28-year-old man faces an aggravated assault charge after witnesses saw him slamming another man’s head onto the street last month in Laramie. His case rose to felony-level court Friday.

Clair McFarlandApril 08, 2025

Gillian Holman, 16, asked the Wyoming Legislature on Tuesday to study ways to stop adults from stalking minors, and lawmakers agreed. Here she and her parents Dan and Cathy Holman, center, meet with legislators before Gillian testified Tuesday, April 8, 2025, before the Legislature's Management Council at the Capitol in Cheyenne.

Lawmakers Consider Stronger Laws After Wyoming 16-Year-Old Stalked, Bullied

Gillian Holman, 16, asked the Wyoming Legislature on Tuesday to study ways to stop adults from stalking minors, and lawmakers agreed. A 41-year-old woman was sentenced last month for impersonating and bullying the girl and another teen.

Clair McFarlandApril 08, 2025

University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel was visibly concerned, left, before a Tuesday two-hour Board of Trustees meeting, after which he was visibly relieved, right. UW confirmed after the meeting that Seidel remains "the president." The UW Faculty Senate on Monday drafted a vote of “no confidence” in his leadership.

UW President Ed Seidel Still Has A Job Day After Faculty ‘No-Confidence’ Vote

University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel was visibly relieved Tuesday following a two-hour Board of Trustees meeting, after which UW said he remains "the president." The UW Faculty Senate on Monday drafted a vote of “no confidence” in his leadership.

Clair McFarlandApril 08, 2025

National Guard Cooperating With Investigation Into Sergeant’s Underage Sex Case

The Wyoming National Guard is cooperating with the investigation of a guardsman and former high school teacher charged with nearly 20 sex crimes, including against someone younger than 16. He has an April 16 arraignment in Platte County District Court.

Clair McFarlandApril 07, 2025

Felony Charges For Cheyenne Man After Pokémon Deal Goes Wrong

A 22-year-old Cheyenne man has been charged with felony theft in connection with a Pokémon card deal that went wrong. Court documents say Justice Geho drove off Thursday with a rare $3,300 Umbreon card a seller let him hold.

Clair McFarlandApril 07, 2025

The possibility of the death penalty is off the table for both Big Piney teens accused of ambushing and murdering their friend with a bow and arrow. Rowan Littauer, pictured, pleaded not guilty Monday, as did his alleged accomplice Orion Schlesinger on March 20.

No Death Penalty For Either Big Piney Teen Charged In Bow And Arrow Ambush

Sublette County's top prosecutor on Monday withdrew the possibility of the death penalty for Rowan LIttauer, just as he had in March for Orion Schlesinger. The teens are accused of ambushing and killing their friend with a bow and arrow in February.

Clair McFarlandApril 07, 2025

Think You Can Survive A Charging Grizzly? Take On Wyoming’s ‘Robobear’

Think you can survive a charging grizzly just because you have bear spray with you? Wyoming Game and Fish’s “Robobear” is an eye-opener, as Cowboy State Daily reporters Clair McFarland and Mark Heinz recently learned.

Mark Heinz & Clair McFarlandApril 05, 2025

Venezuelan Illegal Immigrant Caught, Charged In Sheridan ATM Hacking

A Venezuelan illegal immigrant accused of a hacking heist on a Sheridan ATM was on the run for three months before being caught, then elevated to felony-level court Wednesday. He’s one of three Venezuelans involved, court documents say.

Clair McFarlandApril 04, 2025

University of Wyoming President Ed Seidel, left, and former UW College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Dean Cameron Wright.

UW President Faces Backlash Over Effort To Fund Partner's School, Dean’s Ousting

UW President Ed Seidel is facing backlash after the demotion of a popular dean of engineering. Detractors say the president backed a failed effort to send engineering money to a UW school his partner runs, and the demotion of the dean who stood in the way.

Clair McFarlandApril 04, 2025

Dylan Grant in his University of Wyoming rodeo vest. Grant died Thursday, April 3, 2025, when a bull stepped on him during an event in Wharton County, Texas.

Wyoming Pro Rodeo Cowboy Dies In Bull Riding Event In Texas

A pro rodeo bull rider from Pavillion, Wyoming, died Thursday night when a bull stepped on him during an event in Texas. Friends and family of Dylan Grant say they’re shocked and saddened by the news.

Clair McFarlandApril 04, 2025

Wyoming veterans who spoke to Cowboy State Daily said the grenades a teen found in Riverton Wednesday look like they're for training. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be dangerous, and it's good that his family called police.

Wyoming Vets Say Riverton Grenades For Training — Still Nothing To Play Around With

Wyoming veterans who spoke to Cowboy State Daily say the grenades a teen found in Riverton Wednesday look like they're for training. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be dangerous, and it's good that his family called police.

Clair McFarlandApril 03, 2025

Gabriel Seth Rodgers, a Wyoming drug dealer and gun thief who broke conditions of his supervised release by fleeing to Mexico, has been caught. Mexican authorities announced last week they were deporting him, and he’s now in U.S. federal custody.

Mexico Deports Fugitive Wyoming Drug Dealer And Gun Thief

A Wyoming drug dealer and gun thief who broke conditions of his supervised release by fleeing to Mexico has been caught. Mexican authorities announced last week they were deporting him, and he’s now in U.S. federal custody.

Clair McFarlandApril 03, 2025

Teen Finds Four Live Hand Grenades Near River In Riverton

When 15-year-old Roxton Lookingbill didn’t catch any fish Wednesday evening on the Wind River, he started walking back toward his grandmother’s house — then something caught his eye. It was a metal box, and inside were four live hand grenades.

Clair McFarlandApril 03, 2025

Two applicants to be the next Fremnt County attorney are Fremont County Acting Attorney Micah Wyatt, 47, of Lander, right, and private attorney Jason Gay, 47, of Green River.

GOP Scrambles To Find Top Prosecutor For One Of Wyoming's Roughest Counties

Fremont County GOP leaders are scrambling to nominate three candidates to replace longtime County Attorney Patrick LeBrun in one of Wyoming's roughest counties. So far, two have applied to replace LeBrun, who left Monday.

Clair McFarlandApril 02, 2025

Rawlins Inmate Accused Of Attacking Guards Over Forbidden Gingerbread Supplies

A 25-year-old Gillette man who is already in prison for assaulting jail officers is now accused of attacking prison guards when they wouldn’t let him keep gingerbread-making supplies in his cell.

Clair McFarlandApril 02, 2025

Donald W. Wright, 59, of Worland, Wyoming, has been charged with cruelty to animals, accused of shooting his own dog, Axel, six times. He reportedly said he hoped the dog would "bleed out."

Worland Man Accused Of Shooting His Dog Six Times Pleads Not Guilty

Donald Wright of Worland, accused of shooting his dog six times, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges Wednesday. The dog, Axel, still has four bullets in his body and a plate in his jaw, but is taking well to his training.

Clair McFarlandApril 02, 2025

Torrington Woman Accused Of Stealing $60K From Little League

A woman Torrington police say stole about $62,000 from the local Little League Association faces one count of felony theft and up to 10 years in prison. Her case will be heard in felony-level court, where she's scheduled for an April 23 arraignment.

Clair McFarlandApril 01, 2025

Prosecutor Challenges Release Of Twice-Deported Man With 18,000 Rounds Of Ammo

A federal prosecutor last week challenged the release of a twice-deported Mexican immigrant accused of carrying 18,000 rounds of ammunition through Wyoming. The bust indicates cartel activity, the prosecutor argued.

Clair McFarlandApril 01, 2025

Glamping tents at the base of the Tetons in affluent Teton County, Wyoming.

Supreme Court Rules Against Jackson Group Challenging Glamping Septic System

That a Jackson Hole environmental group has spent $500,000 on projects in the area doesn’t give it standing to sue a local glamping business, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Monday. The group had sued over the glamour camping outfit’s septic system.

Clair McFarlandApril 01, 2025

The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office has called in Donald Trump to educate locals on VIN inspections. Or at least a deputy impersonating the president, who urges people to not be like “greenies” from Colorado and “make VIN inspections great again.”

Laramie County Sheriff Calls In 'Trump' To 'Make VIN Inspections Great Again'

The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office called in Donald Trump to educate locals on VIN inspections. Or at least a deputy impersonating the president, who says even "Greenies" from Colorado need to get their vehicles checked when they change hands.

Clair McFarlandMarch 31, 2025

Samson Lucas Bariah Fussner was killed in a shootout July 4, 2024, with park rangers at Yellowstone National Park. Here is a photo of Fussner inset on an image taken from body camera video from the shootout.

Brother Of Yellowstone Shooter Wants His Guns Sold, Money Go To Ranger He Shot

The brother of Lucas Fussner, who was killed in a shootout with rangers at Yellowstone last summer, says the government shouldn't be able to keep his car and other items. He wants his brother's guns sold and the money given to the ranger he shot.

Clair McFarlandMarch 31, 2025

'Coordinated' Hacking Hits Big Horn County ATMs For More Than $50,000

Two men suspected of a "coordinated" hacking scheme, stealing more than $50,000 from at least three ATMs in Big Horn County in mid-March, await extradition from a Denver jail. The pair each face up to 70 years in prison if convicted.

Clair McFarlandMarch 31, 2025

Irish Woman Sues Dubois Dude Ranch Over Ankle Crushed By Bear-Sprayed Horse

An Irish woman is suing a Wyoming dude ranch for a vacation gone wrong that left her with a crushed ankle. Her lawsuit, filed last week, claims the injury happened when a guide mistakenly bear-sprayed her horse.

Clair McFarlandMarch 31, 2025

Reservation Man Accused Of Rape Found Not Guilty In Rare Federal Acquittal

A federal trial jury Wednesday found a 23-year-old Wind River Indian Reservation man not guilty of multiple sexual abuse charges. His accuser had claimed he raped her while she was drunk. Federal trial acquittals are extremely rare.

Clair McFarlandMarch 28, 2025

Wyoming Man Accused Of Machete, Hammer Attacks Nabbed In Colorado

A 25-year-old Goshen County, Wyoming man was on the run from the law, accused of swinging a machete at his sister. He was caught Wednesday in Colorado — and his sister says he wasn’t really trying to hurt her.

Clair McFarlandMarch 28, 2025

Welcome to Guernsey Platte County 8 29 24

Wyoming Cell Tower Worker Hit While Air Force Members Shoot At Targets

A man working on a Verizon cell tower was shot in the thigh Thursday while three U.S. Air Force members were shooting targets on federal land outside Guernsey, Wyoming. The worker was life-flighted, then treated and released from a Cheyenne hospital.

Clair McFarlandMarch 28, 2025

Trump and Welcome to Wind River Indian Reservaton 3 27 25

Trump Bans Northern Arapaho Tribe's Law Firm From Federal Contracts

The White House this week ordered federal agencies to stop working with a law firm that has earned $500,000 lobbying for the Northern Arapaho Tribe. An attorney at the firm worked on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation in 2016.

Clair McFarlandMarch 27, 2025

Douglas Woman Accused Of Threats To Blow Up Man’s Business And Poison His Dog

Douglas police claim a local woman threatened to poison a man's dog and bomb his family business to get him to "comply with her demands." Khyrstyn Jackson now faces up multiple felonies, including blackmail.

Clair McFarlandMarch 27, 2025

Prosecutor Fights To Keep Convicted Child Molester On Sex Offender List

A Sweetwater County prosecutor is challenging a judge’s decision to expunge a Rock Springs man’s 1997 conviction for molesting an 8-year-old girl, court documents show. The man has argued to be removed from the sex offender list.

Clair McFarlandMarch 27, 2025

Preston Sorensen and Gillian Holman are Glenrock High School students who were cyberstalked and bullied for a year by a 41-year-old woman, Marcie Smith.

41-Year-Old Glenrock Woman Who Stalked Teens Didn't Get Jail Time: Here's Why

The families of two Glenrock teens cyberstalked and bullied by 41-year-old Marcie Smith for a year say they understand why she only got probation, but wish jail time had been offered. They hope to change the law to stop similar nightmares for others.

Clair McFarlandMarch 27, 2025

Woman Says She Jumped From Moving Minivan Twice While Boyfried Beat Her

A woman jumped from her boyfriend's minivan twice to escape a brutal beating near Riverton, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports. A man accused of forcing her into the vehicle after a knife standoff with another man was charged Monday.

Clair McFarlandMarch 26, 2025

Shoshoni Woman Caught Impersonating FBI Agent Now Faces Assault Charges

A Shoshoni woman has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, accused of pointing a shotgun at her sister and another man. She confessed to impersonating an FBI agent at an airport in another case.

Clair McFarlandMarch 26, 2025

A judicial nominating commission tasked with helping Wyoming's governor fill a seat left vacant by the state Supreme Court’s chief justice has nominated three candidates for his consideration, including Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill. She's seen here during a fireside chat with state attorneys general presented by the Techology Policy Institute.

Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill Among 3 Nominated For State Supreme Court

A judicial nominating commission Monday named Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill, private attorney Anna Reeves Olson and Judge Stuart Healy as three candidates for a soon-to-be-vacant state Supreme Court seat.

Clair McFarlandMarch 26, 2025

16-Year-Old Girl Accused Of Shooting Two Men Asks To Be Charged As Child

The attorney for Addisyn Rain Marie Fisher is asking a judge to send the 16-year-old's case to juvenile court. Fisher, from Rock Springs, is charged as an adult in the shooting of two men and has an arraignment hearing Thursday.

Clair McFarlandMarch 25, 2025

Full Semitrailer Smashes Through Shed, House In Upton

A semitrailer full of bentonite smashed through the side of a storage shed and a vehicle, then halfway through a house Monday in Upton. The man living in the house was in bed when the truck “pushed his bedroom out the other wall.”

Clair McFarlandMarch 25, 2025

The Carbon County Sheriff’s official and personal Facebook pages have been hacked, Sheriff Alex Bakken says, but Facebook says otherwise. Bakken is calling in DCI and federal law enforcement.

Carbon County Sheriff's Facebook Page Back After Hackers Used It To Sell Crypto

UPDATE: Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken reported Tuesday afternoon that, after days of working with Meta and Cowboy State Daily, his Facebook page has been restored. A hacker took it over Friday and used it to sell cryptocurrency.

Clair McFarlandMarch 25, 2025

“But I don’t want to have to feel like I’m somehow making a political statement every time I drive it,” said Keren Meister-Emerich, a Wyoming Tesla Cybertruck owner. “I’m just out for a drive.”

Wyoming Tesla Owners Bristle At Destruction Campaign

Wyoming Tesla owners remain concerned about the attacks on Tesla products and properties happening nationwide. The FBI launched a task force Monday to investigate the crimes officials call “domestic terrorism.”

Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2025

Several of a Union Pacific train's shipping containers toppled Monday north of Rock River. It's unclear if train car frames derailed with them. Area winds reached at least 40-50 MPH, judging from wind sensors in the surrounding areas.

Freight Containers Topple Off Train North Of Rock River

Several of a Union Pacific train's shipping containers toppled Monday north of Rock River. It's unclear if train car frames derailed with them. The mayor speculated it was because of high winds which reached over 60mph during the morning.

Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2025

Cody Man Found Hallucinating After Mother's Stabbing Sent To Mental Hospital

The case against a Cody man accused of stabbing his mother after claiming he had been hallucinating and that she had "little people" annoy him is on hold. A circuit court judge agreed that he should be committed to a mental hospital until deemed sane.

Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2025

Clair McFarland: Don't Harass Your Banjo Player

Clair McFarland writes, "Little-Feisty played ‘Joy to the World.’ Even with that banjo being just a pan, a neck, five strings and some invisible sprites, I could hear it well above the sound of ‘Thunderstruck.’”

Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2025

Marcie Smith of Glenrock, inset, received two years' probation last week after evidence surfaced that she was behind a yearlong effort to stalk a sophomore girl and her boyfriend. Now, the teen and her family are pushing for enhanced penalties where adults stalk minors.

Glenrock Teen, Family Recall Harrowing Year Of Stalking, Impersonation

A Glenrock, Wyoming, woman got two years' probation last week after evidence surfaced she was behind a yearlong effort to stalk and impersonate a teen girl and her boyfriend. Now, the girl and her family want enhanced penalties when adults stalk minors.

Clair McFarlandMarch 24, 2025

Four charging stations at the Tesla Supercharger at 2441 Ffoothill Boulevard in Rock Springs, Wyoming, were vandalized wtih swastikas either late March 21 or early March 22, 2025.

Swastikas Spraypainted On Tesla Chargers In Rock Springs

An escalating nationwide trend of vandalizing Tesla electric vehicle products has reached Wyoming, with a row of Rock Springs Tesla Superchargers spraypainted with swastikas either late Friday night or early Saturday morning.

Clair McFarlandMarch 22, 2025

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, along with the sheriff’s webpage, were both hacked Friday at about noon, Sheriff Alex Bakken reports.

Brief: Carbon County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page Hacked

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page, along with the sheriff’s own Facebook page, were both hacked Friday at about noon, the sheriff reports.

Clair McFarlandMarch 22, 2025

Former Wheatland Music Teacher In Jail On Child Sex Charges, Could Get 400 Years

Accused of sex acts with a minor he met while he was her teacher, a former Wheatland high school and middle school band instructor is facing a maximum potential penalty of more than 400 years in prison. Evan Bradley's preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Monday.

Clair McFarlandMarch 21, 2025

Wyoming Supreme Court building in Cheyenne.

Wyoming High Court Expands Right To Remain Silent, Throws Out Molestation Conviction

A striking Wyoming Supreme Court ruling defends people’s right to remain silent more vigilantly and could change how prosecutors try cases. The Thursday ruling also throws out the conviction of a Casper man accused of sexually touching young girls.

Clair McFarlandMarch 21, 2025

Rock Springs tow truck operator Zack Krone was hit by a rogue pickup while cleaning up a semitrailer crash on Interstate 80 on Wednesday morning. His wife, Elizabeth, tells Cowboy State Daily that he suffered serious injuries and is recovering in a Casper hospital.

Tow Truck Driver Hit On I-80 By Rogue Pickup Recovering In Casper Hospital

A tow truck operator is recovering after losing a kidney and suffering other organ ruptures. A rogue pickup struck him Wednesday on the shoulder of Interstate 80 outside of Wamsutter, Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2025

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction was in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, March 20, 2025, to attend President Donald Trump's signing of an executive order to eliminate the Department of Education.

Degenfelder Cheers Dismantling of U.S. Dept. Of Education At White House Signing Ceremony

Wyoming education chief Megan Degenfelder, who attended President Trump's executive order signing which dismantles the Dept. of Education, said Thursday's action was a "historic day for education in America, and a win for American students."

Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2025

Orion Schlesinger, 18, pleaded “not guilty” and ”not guilty by reason of mental illness” at his Thursday arraignment in Sublette County District Court.

Death Penalty Off The Table For 1 Teen Charged In Deadly Bow-And-Arrow Ambush

The death penalty is off the table for one of two Big Piney, Wyoming, teens accused of conspiring to kill a man in a bow-and-arrow ambush. But the prosecutor said Thursday he’s not ready to say if he’ll seek death for the teen accused of firing the bow.

Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2025

Tranyelle Harshman, the Byron, Wyoming, woman who fatally shot her four children then herself last month had depression and anti-anxiety medications in her system, according to a coroner’s investigation report released Thursday.

Byron Mom In Murder-Suicide Had Depression, Anxiety Meds In System

The Byron, Wyoming, woman who fatally shot her four children then herself last month had depression and anti-anxiety medications in her system, according to a coroner’s investigation report released Thursday.

Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2025

Smoke pouring out of the westbound Green River Tunnel on I-80 on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Report: Pickup Losing Control Leaving Green River Tunnel Started Fatal Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday released its preliminary report on the Green River Tunnel disaster. It says a pickup truck lost control as it exited the westbound tunnel and started the 26-vehicle, triple-fatality crash on February 14, 2025.

Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2025

Mary Couch, 70, of Alabama, was identified as the victim in Saturday’s I-80 crash outside Rawlins on Saturday. The driver accused of killing Couch was released from jail on a $20,000 cash bond.

Woman Identified In Fatal Crash Outside Rawlins That Closed I-80 For Hours

Mary Couch, 70 of Alabama, was identified as the victim in Saturday’s I-80 crash outside Rawlins on Saturday that closed the interstate for hours. The driver accused of killing Couch was released from jail on a $20,000 cash bond.

Clair McFarlandMarch 20, 2025

Dash cam video posted to Facebook by Lance Paul Scarpellino with a warning to "be careful out there" appears to show the scene where a tow truck driver was hit responding to this crash Wednesday morning.

Tow Truck Operator Responding To Crash Hit By Pickup On Icy I-80 Near Wamsutter

A tow truck operator recovering vehicles from night crash near Wamsutter along Interstate-80 was struck by a pickup Wednesday, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reports. The operator was life-flighted from the scene.

Clair McFarlandMarch 19, 2025

Wyoming Supports Trump's Plan To Deport Members Of Violent Venezuelan Gang

When 26 Republican-led states urged a court Tuesday to stop a judge's block on Trump's plan to deport Venezuelan gang members, Wyoming wasn't among them. But that's because of timing, not a lack of support, the Wyoming attorney general says.

Clair McFarlandMarch 19, 2025

Riverton Police Say They Caught Man Who Stole Car With Baby In It

The Riverton Police Department said Tuesday it caught a 28-year-old man accused of stealing a vehicle with a 3-month-old baby in it, then abandoning both the car and baby west of Riverton, Wyoming, last month.

Clair McFarlandMarch 18, 2025

Commercial trucks make their way through Rawlins on a detour around a fatal crash Saturday near Exit 215 on Interstate 80.

Brief: Trucker Suspected Of Causing I-80 Crash That Killed Another Trucker

A Washington state trucker has been charged with homicide by vehicle after a Saturday crash on I-80 near Rawlins. He’s accused of crashing into another semitrailer, killing a person in the truck’s sleeper cab.

Clair McFarlandMarch 18, 2025

Gillette Man, 77, Accused Of Offering Sex Act To Teenage Boy

A 77-year-old Gillette man accused of soliciting a 15-year-old boy for sex could face between five and 12 years in prison. His case rose to felony-level court Thursday after a monthslong delay that included a mental fitness evaluation.

Clair McFarlandMarch 18, 2025

Former Jackson Hole Fire Chief Ned Brady Hansen, right, has been charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor in Utah. Authorities there say he trafficked in child pornography and had a sexual encounter with the same judge who declined to keep him in jail, Kevin Robert Christensen.

Former Jackson Hole Fire Chief Accused Of Sex Acts With Judge, Having Child Porn

Former Jackson Hole Fire Chief Ned Brady Hansen has been charged with aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor in Utah. Authorities there say he trafficked in child pornography and had a sexual encounter with the same judge who declined to keep him in jail.

Clair McFarlandMarch 18, 2025

Since 2021, the Wyoming Department of Health has spent about $8.4 million in federal money on pro-vaccination advertising. That money is drying up, but not because of the Trump administration.

Wyoming Health Dept Says Trump Not The Reason $8.4 Million For Vax Ads Ending

The Wyoming Dept of Health has spent about $8.4 million in federal public money on pro-vaccine advertising since mid-2020. It expects the last of those grants to expire this year, but not because of President Trump's new vaccine-skeptical health secretary.

Clair McFarlandMarch 17, 2025

Cheyenne Man Accused Of Pepper-Spraying Cops During Fight In Driveway

A Cheyenne man's case rose Friday to the felony-level court, on claims he pepper sprayed cops while interfering with a woman's traffic stop. The man reportedly also cursed and spat racial slurs at police as they investigated a DUI at his house.

Clair McFarlandMarch 17, 2025

State Trooper Arrests Suspected Illegal Immigrant With 18,000 Rounds Of Ammunition

An illegal immigrant was arrested Friday near Rawlins for carrying 18,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Ricardo Paez-Quinones faces up to 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and/or deportation if convicted.

Clair McFarlandMarch 17, 2025

Nicholas Blackburn, center, walked to the Fremont County jail transport van Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, after pleading not guilty to killing his friend.

Riverton Man Accused Of Beating Friend To Death Strikes Plea Deal Before Trial

A Riverton man accused of beating his friend to death and leaving him for his parents to find has agreed to plead guilty. The agreement came just days before his manslaughter trial was to start Monday.

Clair McFarlandMarch 17, 2025

Clair McFarland: Mom Says No More Mountain Haggery On The Video News

Columnist Clair McFarland writes: "Mom wants me to look clean and polished on Cowboy State Daily’s video newscast. But I want to exude enough mountain haggery to terrify the out-of-staters."

Clair McFarlandMarch 15, 2025

Ski-Lift Accident Kills Montana Skier But Experts Say Fatalities Are Rare

A Billings skier died earlier this week after he fell out of a ski chair lift in Red Lodge, Montana. One expert told Cowboy State Daily that although accidents do happen, statistics show "chairlift fatalities are very, very, very rare."

Clair McFarlandMarch 14, 2025

'Bitcoin Billionaire' Wanted In All 50 States After Friend Pays, Loses $50K Bond

Investigators say a man who cast himself as a ‘bitcoin billionaire’ during a Jackson Hole spending spree was committing fraud. He skipped court this week - after convincing a friend to pay his $50,000 cash bond. Kevin Segal is now wanted in all 50 states.

Clair McFarlandMarch 14, 2025

AG's Office Says Gillette Judge Didn't Break Rules By Holding Public Defender In Contempt

The judge who fined a public defender $100 and ordered him to write an apology letter for being late says he followed the rules in doing so. The public defender quit after paying the fine and writing the letter.

Clair McFarlandMarch 14, 2025

Protesters hold signs at Roosevelt Arch, the northern entrance to Yellowstone Park on March 1, 2025 in Gardiner, Montana.

Judge Orders Trump To Reinstate Fired National Park Service Employees

A federal judge issued a scathing rebuke Thursday and ordered the Trump administration to reinstate thousands of probationary employees fired last month, including 1,000 at the National Park Service. The White House called the order "absurd and unconstitutional."

Clair McFarlandMarch 14, 2025

Fort Washakie 18-Year-Old 'Allegedly' Jumped From Car To Her Death, Initial Report Says

A Wyoming Highway Patrol preliminary investigative report published this month says Stephanie Bearstail, an 18-year-old Fort Washakie student, "allegedly" jumped from a moving vehicle to her death March 4.

Clair McFarlandMarch 13, 2025

Former Sheridan Assistant Principal Gets 3-5 Years For Sex With 18-Year-Old Student

Former Sheridan High School Assistant Principal Jacob Meyer, 34, was sentenced Thursday to between three and five years in prison after being convicted of having sex with one of his students, who was 18 at the time.

Clair McFarlandMarch 13, 2025

Murder-For-Hire Trial On Hold While Cody Woman's Mental Health Tested

Two days before her trial on a murder-for-hire charge was set to begin, a Cody woman had it delayed by asking for a mental health test. Investigators say she tried hiring a hitman to kill her daughter’s boyfriend.

Clair McFarlandMarch 13, 2025

Man Dead In Officer-Involved Shooting At Uinta County Business

Uinta County Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Marshals personnel were involved in a shooting on Wednesday that killed a suspect who had felony-level warrants, authorities told Cowboy State Daily.

Clair McFarlandMarch 13, 2025

Three members of the University of Wyoming volleyball team are among a dozen plaintiffs suing the Mountain West Conference and its commissioner over a transgender player on the San Jose State University volleyball team.

Judge Won't Quit Transgender Case Over Pronouns Rule, Volleyball Players Try Appeal

A federal judge said he will not recuse himself from a lawsuit over a transgender player’s inclusion on a college women’s volleyball team. The women who asked for the recusal requested an appeal Wednesday.

Clair McFarlandMarch 12, 2025

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, left, and President Donald Trump.

Degenfelder Praises Dept. Of Education Cuts, Says They Will Empower Parents

Wyoming education chief Megan Degenfelder praised President Trump for slashing staff at the U.S. Dept. of Education. "We’re taking education decisions out of the hands of unelected officials and giving them back to parents and teachers," she said.

Clair McFarlandMarch 12, 2025

Prosecutor Says Casper Man Accused Of Illegal Gambling ‘Knew What He Was Doing’

Wyoming’s gambling laws aren’t so vague that a Casper businessman accused of running illegal gambling houses couldn’t have known he was breaking the law, a state prosecutor says. Scott Lee Shroefel “knew what he was doing,” she argued.

Clair McFarlandMarch 12, 2025

John Stetson Angus Bosh, 31, is accused of repeatedly stabbing his wife, China Bosh, in an attempt to kill her. He's been charged with attempted second-degree murder.

Accused Gillette Wife-Stabber Sane Enough For Trial, State Hospital Says

A Wyoming state mental health evaluator says a Gillette man was sane enough to realize what he was doing when he allegedly stabbed his wife eight times. She survived the terrifying attack, and his attempted second-degree murder trial is set for June.

Clair McFarlandMarch 12, 2025

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday, March 10, 2025, to hear a request from Wyoming and 18 other red states to block a handful of other states, including California, from suing oil and gas companies in their own courts over climate change.

Supreme Court Won’t Block Climate Change Lawsuits In Wyoming, Other Red States

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a request from Wyoming and 18 other red states to block a handful of other states, including California, from suing oil and gas companies in their own courts over climate change.

Clair McFarlandMarch 11, 2025

Orion Schlesinger, left, and Rowan Littauer are accused of ambushing a man with a bow and arrow, killing him

Big Piney Teens Accused Of Killing Man In Bow-And-Arrow Ambush Sent To Higher Court

A pair of Big Piney teens could get life in prison or the death penalty if convicted of working together to kill a local man with a bow and arrows. A judge sent their case to a higher court Tuesday.

Clair McFarlandMarch 11, 2025

Two Charged For Allegedly Helping Hide 'Armed And Dangerous' Gillette Suspect

Two people have been charged with helping an 18-year-old attempted-murder suspect elude law enforcement in Campbell County. Each could face up to three years in prison if convicted of being accessories after the fact.

Clair McFarlandMarch 11, 2025

In Sweetwater County, Law Enforcement Nabs 12 People For ICE In One Day

The jail in Sweetwater County took custody of 12 people on Thursday for ICE. The sudden influx, which consisted entirely of males between the ages of 21 and 41, is well above the jail’s daily average of ICE detainee bookings.

Clair McFarlandMarch 11, 2025

Mexican National In 'Catastrophic' Crash That Killed Two Pleads Guilty

A Mexican national who smashed into a Harley trike, killing its two riders, pleaded guilty to killing one of the people Monday. Through an interpreter, he told the judge he was drunk and high in August 2023 when he hit the Harley south of Torrington, Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandMarch 10, 2025

$1 Million Bond, Attempted Murder Charge For Gillette 18-Year-Old In Shooting

A Gillette judge Monday set bond at $1 million for an 18-year-old charged with shooting another teen before eluding arrest for four days. Kamren Crousore was caught Saturday evening and has been charged with attempted second-degree murder.

Jen Kocher & Clair McFarlandMarch 10, 2025

A Riverton man fought with and shot a home intruder in August 2024.

Riverton Man Shot By 85-Year-Old Homeowner Faces Felony Intrusion Charge

A 21-year-old Riverton man who was shot after allegedly breaking into an 85-year-old man's house last August had a court hearing Monday. The judge ruled there's enough evidence to keep prosecuting the man for unlawful entry.

Clair McFarlandMarch 10, 2025

After a four-day search, the Campbell County Sheriff's Office arrested Kamren Crousore on Saturday evening. Crousore is the 18-year-old man wanted in connection with the shooting of another teen March 4, 2025. He was considered "armed and dangerous," the agency had said.

‘Armed And Dangerous’ Gillette 18-Year-Old Shooting Suspect Caught

After a four-day search, the Campbell County Sheriff's Office arrested Kamren Crousore on Saturday. Crousore is the 18-year-old wanted in connection with the shooting of another teen Tuesday. He was considered "armed and dangerous," the agency had said.

Clair McFarlandMarch 09, 2025

Gillette Shooter On The Run Had Just Been Sentenced To Probation For Theft Spree

Campbell County, Wyoming, authorities are still searching for a Gillette man considered “armed and dangerous” and implicated in a shooting. He was sentenced to probation for a theft spree eight days before Tuesday’s shooting, according to his court file.

Clair McFarlandMarch 08, 2025

No New Trial For Casper Man Who Blames Antidepressant For Brutal Stabbing

A Casper man who brutally stabbed his mother-in-law and killed her husband says a double dose of antidepressants pushed him over the edge. The Wyoming Supreme Court disagreed, denying his attempt to get a new trial in a Wednesday ruling.

Clair McFarlandMarch 07, 2025

Few Details Released About Death Of Wyoming Reservation Teen

The FBI is investigating the death of an 18-year-old Fort Washakie High School student who died on Tuesday, but few details are being released. Her father says the family is heartbroken, but is hesitant to talk about his daughter because of the federal investigation.

Clair McFarlandMarch 07, 2025

Judge Sends Worland Man Accused Of Shooting His Own Dog 6 Times To Higher Court

A Worland man accused of shooting his own dog six times in a torturous fashion is headed to a felony-level court. The sheriff's office accuses Donald W. Wright, 59, of shooting his border-collie mix, "Axel," in his back yard during a wild spree.

Clair McFarlandMarch 07, 2025

Wind river reservation sign 3 16 22 scaled

Wyoming Man Gets 25 Years For Molesting Runaway

A Crowheart, Wyoming, man was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison for the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old Wind River Indian Reservation runaway. Court documents say Quinlin James Hernandez put the girl in a chokehold, then assaulted her multiple times.

Clair McFarlandMarch 07, 2025

Teton County Sheriff Changes Mind, Will Hold Inmates For ICE

The Teton County sheriff who refused to hold onto inmates for federal immigration authorities without a criminal warrant changed course Wednesday, and said he will now honor civil detention requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Clair McFarlandMarch 06, 2025

'Armed And Dangerous' 18-Year-Old Suspect Sought In Gillette Shooting

Campbell County Sheriff’s deputies are looking for Kamren Crousore, an 18-year-old they suspect shot a 19-year-old on Tuesday on Echeta Road in Gillette, Wyoming. He's considered "armed and dangerous," the department says.

Clair McFarlandMarch 06, 2025

Evanston Woman Accused Of Driving Off With Arresting Cops In Her Truck

An Evanston, Wyoming, woman will be in court Thursday after being accused of driving off with two cops in her truck. She was mad that a local grocery store wouldn’t sell her prescription drugs, and even called 911 to report the cops were harassing her.

Clair McFarlandMarch 06, 2025

Denver Mayor Mike Johnson, inset, testified for a congressional committee Wednesday, March 5, 2025, about his city's sanctuary policies. Meanwhile in Wyoming, a bill banning sanctuary cities hit Gov. Mark Gordon's desk.

Wyoming Ban On Sanctuary Cities Hits Gordon's Desk

A law banning sanctuary city immigration policies in Wyoming awaits a signature or veto from Gov. Mark Gordon after the Legislature approved it Wednesday. Meanwhile, four U.S. mayors were grilled by Congress over their immigration-friendly policies.

Clair McFarlandMarch 05, 2025

One of two bills targeting transgender use of bathrooms in Wyoming would include most public spaces in the state, including the Wyoming Capitol.

Wyoming Governor Signs Trans Bathroom, Changing Room Ban Into Law

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill that allows people to sue the state if they encounter a biologically born male in a female-designated restroom or changing room in a public facility, and vice versa.

Clair McFarlandMarch 05, 2025

The Dick Cheney Federal Building has been put on a list of “non-core” properties for the General Services Administration to dispose of according to a website post.

Dick Cheney Federal Building In Casper Shows Up On Federal Hit List To Be Sold

Dick Cheney has been on President Donald Trump’s political hit list for some time. Now a federal building named for the former vice president was on a Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) hit list to be sold amid a federal downsizing frenzy.

Clair McFarland & Dale KillingbeckMarch 05, 2025

Wyoming Governor Signs Government DEI Ban Into Law

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon signed into a law a bill banning DEI programs at government agencies, while also vetoing another similar bill. The bill he vetoed, he said, was ill-defined and overly broad.

Clair McFarlandMarch 05, 2025

Former Roommate Of Wyoming Man Accused Of Murdering Woman Says He's Not Insane

The former roommate of Joseph Underwood, who’s accused of killing a woman and dumping her body in a Park County, Wyoming, ravine, says he isn't insane. He says Underwood is probably trying to cheat justice with his insanity plea.

Clair McFarlandMarch 05, 2025

To address pressing concerns in her county, Sen. Stacy Jones, R-Rock Springs, sponsored Senate File 132, which will now give local law enforcement agents the ability to recommend criminal charges against drone operators who fly over critical infrastructures, with some exceptions. Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed the bill late Monday, but Tuesday afternoon, the Legislature overturned his veto.

Wyoming Legislature Overrides Governor’s Mystery Drone Veto

The Wyoming Legislature on Tuesday afternoon overrode the governor’s veto of a bill that gives local officials authority to deal with mystery drones over critical infrastructure. That includes allowing law enforcement to bring them down.

Clair McFarlandMarch 04, 2025

Women's sports rights activist Riley Gaines is blasting U.S. Senate Democrats who voted down a federal bill that would ban males from female-designated sports. She's seen here in May 2024 rally for a handful of University of Wyoming women suing their sorority for admitting a transgender member.

Barrasso Says Senate Democrats Who Killed Federal Trans Sports Law 'Out Of Touch'

Sen. John Barrasso says Senate Democrats are "out of touch" in blocking a federal bill Monday to ban males from female school sports. The move came days after two bills that would have expanded Wyoming’s state-level trans sports ban died, while one remains viable.

Clair McFarlandMarch 04, 2025

Dones have been reported flying over the Jim Bridger Power Plant, usually at about 2 or 3 a.m.

Gordon Vetoes Bill To Fight Mystery Drones, Wyoming Sheriff Still Worried

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a bill late Monday meant to give state law enforcement more options to deal with mystery drones over critical infrastructure. Meanwhile, one Wyoming sheriff says the mysterious aircraft are still being reported.

Clair McFarlandMarch 04, 2025

The only survivor of a Casper-area drunk-driving crash that killed three people in 2022, Tahayla Kohtala says she still replays the scene in her head every day.

Lone Survivor Of Triple-Fatal Drunk Driver Crash 'Wouldn't Wish It On Anyone'

The drunk Casper man who killed three people in a crash in May 2022 has been sentenced to 18-20 years, according to a court order filed Friday. Meanwhile, the only survivor of that crash says she still replays the horrific scene in her head every day.

Clair McFarlandMarch 03, 2025

Clair McFarland: Sure, False Spring, I’ll Fall For You

Columnist Clair McFarland writes, "I’m not blind to the fact that it’s going to snow tomorrow. This warm spell was a trickster and a flirt, designed to put me off my guard. And it succeeded."

Clair McFarlandMarch 03, 2025

Man Applying To Be Jail Officer Allegedly Admits Molesting Kids During Polygraph

A Gillette, Wyoming, man who tried to get a job as a detention officer is now incarcerated in the jail where he’d hoped to work. That’s because during a pre-employment polygraph, he confessed to molesting children, court documents allege.

Clair McFarlandMarch 03, 2025

FBI Seeks Ethete Man Accused Of Working With 'Probable' Drug Cartel Member

The FBI is seeking information regarding the whereabouts of Collie Judson Warren, 49, who is wanted on suspicion of dealing meth. Court documents say Warren worked with a man with "probable" Mexican drug cartel ties near the Wind River Reservation.

Clair McFarlandMarch 02, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Oval Office at the White House on Feb. 28, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Wyoming Delegation Backs Trump After Tense Meeting With Zelenskyy

Wyoming’s congressional delegation voiced strong support for President Trump after his explosive Friday meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. “It’s nice to have a president who puts America first,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis said.

Clair McFarlandMarch 01, 2025

Wyoming Close To Outlawing Buying And Selling Of 'Sexual Contact'

After surviving a close vote Thursday and getting approval from the Senate on Friday, a bill that would criminalize the sale and purchase of “sexual contact” in Wyoming is closer to becoming law.

Clair McFarlandMarch 01, 2025

Trucking Fatalities Have Increased Since Feds Stopped Suspending Truckers Who Can’t Read English

Fatalities involving large commercial trucks have been on the rise since 2016. That was the year the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued a memorandum telling safety inspectors not to suspend commercial drivers for failing to communicate well in English.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2025

Ross Schriftman, from left, and state Reps. Tamara Trujillo, R-Cheyenne, Ben Hornok, Sarah Penn, R-Fort Washakie, Jeanette Ward, R-Casper, and Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, protest outside the Wellspring clinic in 2023.

Hours After Governor Signs New Abortion Law, Pro-Choice Group Files Lawsuit

Hours after Gov. Mark Gordon signed a new law regulating abortion clinics, with another heading to his desk, a pro-choice group has sued to block them. The lawsuit, filed at 1 a.m. Friday, claims the laws target Wyoming’s only abortion clinic.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2025

Man With ‘Probable’ Drug Cartel Ties Could Get Life For Dealing Meth In Wyoming

An illegal immigrant with “probable” Mexican drug cartel ties was in federal court Thursday. Through an interpreter, he was told he could get 10 years to life in prison if convicted of dealing meth on the Wind River Reservation.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2025

PETA says a settlement with the airport in Rock Springs, Wyoming, allows the animal advocacy group to post an anti-leather ad and collect $35,000 in legal fees. The group had sued after the ad had been rejected.

PETA To Get $35K Settlement After Denied Anti-Leather Ad In Rock Springs Airport

PETA says a settlement with the airport in Rock Springs allows the animal advocacy group to post an anti-leather ad and collect $35,000 in legal fees. The group sued after the ad had been rejected.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 28, 2025

Senate Majority Floor Leader Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, said she'd vote in favor of HB 72 because of the “fervor” surrounding it, but she criticized it as a poorly-written enticement to a litigious society.

Wyoming Trans Bathroom Bans Headed To Governor's Desk

Wyoming legislators passed a bill Thursday that allows people to sue local governments if they allow biologically-born males to use women’s restrooms in public facilities, and vice versa.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 27, 2025

Lyman Man Accused Of Shooting Man 10 Times Pleads Insanity

The Wyoming State Hospital has about a month to offer an opinion on whether a Lyman man was too insane to know what he was doing when he allegedly killed another man last summer. The victim was shot 10 times near Fort Bridger.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 27, 2025

Sage Valley Junior High School in Gillette, Wyoming, in this file photo.

Judge Tells Wyoming Legislators To Buy More Computers And Fund Schools Better

A Laramie County District Court judge ordered Wyoming lawmakers Wednesday to fund schools better to satisfy the state Constitution. The ruling calls for more computers, school resource officers and mental health counselors, among other underfunded needs.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 27, 2025

Agents raided a house in the Phillipines and made a handful of arrests while rescuing eight or nine children who were being trafficked for live sex streaming over the internet. The case began with the arrest of Kelly Jasperson of Afton, Wyoming, on child pornography allegations.

Wyoming Child Porn Case Ends With Raid Of Philippines Sex House

What started as a child pornography bust in Lincoln County, Wyoming, ended this month with the rescue of nine children from sex trafficking in the Philippines, authorities say. Local agents got to watch the bust via Zoom as the raid unfolded.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 26, 2025

FBI agents Tuesday arrested an illegal immigrant they say has ties to a transnational drug cartel and is suspected of dealing large quantities of meth around Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation. Two more people, including one illegal immigrant from Mexico, were also arrested. The FBI released this photo with the faces of agents and a suspect blurred out.

FBI, ICE Nab Suspected Mexican Cartel Member Working On Wyoming Reservation

FBI agents arrested Tuesday an illegal immigrant they say has ties to a drug cartel and is suspected of dealing meth around Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation. Two others, including an illegal immigrant from Mexico, were also arrested.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 26, 2025

Stephen Craig Campbell was arrested in New Mexico on Feb. 19, 2025, after being on the lam since 1982, suspected in a Green River bombing.

Man Accused In 1982 Green River Bombing Caught In New Mexico After Standoff

A man accused of sending a bomb to his ex-wife’s new boyfriend’s house in Green River, Wyoming, in 1982, has been caught in New Mexico after more than 40 years, allegedly living under a dead classmate's identity. The blast blew off one of the woman’s fingers and caused other injuries.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 26, 2025

Lummis, Barrasso Not Happy With iPhone Voice To Text That Replaces ‘Racist’ With ‘Trump’

When some iPhone users tried to voice-dictate the word “racist” on Tuesday, the word “Trump” appeared momentarily. U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said the apparent software issue “sets a dangerous precedent" and Sen. John Barrasso called it "appalling."

Clair McFarlandFebruary 26, 2025

The front patio at Alina Gaona’s apartment complex, where she says her estranged husband Oscar waited for her while baiting her to go home Oct. 9.

Man Accused Of Firing Shotgun At Fleeing Wife Agrees To 3-5 Years In Prison

A Sheridan man pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated assault, following claims he fired a shotgun toward his wife as she ran and took cover in a ditch. Prosecutors are seeking a three-to-five year prison sentence.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 25, 2025

Casper Man Charged With Illegal Gambling Says Wyoming's Ban Is Unconstitutional

A man accused of running a professional gambling operation out of three businesses is challenging the law with which he is charged. Scott Schroefel of Casper claims the state’s statute against illegal gambling is vague, confusing and unconstitutional.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 25, 2025

Powell Resident Shoots At Hawk With Fireworks

Though they were called to an active shooter incident, the Powell police quickly learned it was actually a person trying to blast a hawk with a roman candle. Meanwhile, the responding officer accidentally discharged a gun.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 25, 2025

Worland Man Charged With Shooting Own Dog Six Times, Hoping He'd 'Bleed Out'

Axel, a border-collie mix, is recovering after being shot six times by his owner. Donald W. Wright, 59, of Worland, Wyoming, was in court Monday, charged with cruelty to animals and saying he hoped the dog would "bleed out."

Clair McFarlandFebruary 24, 2025

Thermopolis Woman Accused Of Taking At Least $15,000 From FFA Alumni Pleads Guilty

A Thermopolis woman accused of stealing at least $15,000 from a Future Farmers of America (FFA) alumni group pleaded guilty last week to felony charges. The special prosecutor on the case is now asking for no more than 30 months in prison.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 24, 2025

Douglas Man Gets 48-62 Years For Killing Green Beret Cousin

Mark Helms has been sentenced to 48-62 years in prison for killing his cousin Nicholas Velazquez, a special forces Green Beret. The pair had been drinking overnight at Helms' home in 2023.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 24, 2025

Green River Tunnel Survivor Still In Hospital, Family Grateful For Support

The 20-year-old woman who was severely hurt in the Feb. 14 tunnel collision outside of Green River, Wyoming, remains hospitalized. She’s in the care of "incredible medical teams," her family says.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 22, 2025

Cody McCalla pleaded no-contest Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, to fatally punching a local hockey coach in the head and killing him after a dispute about a parking space last summer. He agreed to a sentence of four to six years in prison.

Sheridan Man Agrees To 4-6 Years For Punching Hockey Coach To Death

A Sheridan man pleaded no-contest Wednesday to fatally punching a local hockey coach in the head after a dispute about a parking space last summer. He's agreed to a prison sentence of four to six years.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 21, 2025

UW Volleyball Players Want Judge Off Case For Making Them Call Trans Player ‘She’

Three University of Wyoming volleyball players are among those who sued over a transgender player being allowed on a rival team. They’re now asking a Colorado judge to recuse himself from their case for making them refer to the trans player as “she.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 21, 2025

The pornography industry did not show up challenge a Wyoming bill that would require porn websites to verify ages with IDs before allowing access. After unanimously passing out of committee Feb. 20, 2025, the bill will be debated by the full Senate.

Wyoming Closer To Requiring ID To Verify Age To Access Porn Sites

The pornography industry did not show up to challenge a Wyoming bill that would require porn websites to verify ages with IDs before allowing access. After unanimously passing out of committee Thursday, the bill will be debated by the full Senate.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 21, 2025

Two Dead In Latest Green River Crash ID'd; Semi Truck Went Straight On Curve

A fatal crash outside Green River that killed two people Wednesday happened when a semitruck failed to navigate a curve and collided with a Honda Odyssey, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reports.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2025

Tensions rose Thursday during a Senate committee hearing when Britt Boril of Casper refers to state Sen. Tim French as "Madame Chairmain" during her virtual testimony.

Woman Calls Male Legislator 'Madame' During 'What Is A Woman Act' Debate

Debate grew tense Thursday when a woman insisted on calling a male legislator "Madame" at the beginning of her testimony against the "What is a Woman Act." The Wyoming Senate will debate the bill next.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2025

Terrence Paul Jenkins was sentenced to 36-40 years in prison for attacking and attempting to kidnap a Riverton girl in 2022 and stabbing and robbing another woman that same night.

Wyoming Girl Who Fought Off Attacker Forgives Him As He Gets 36-40 Years

A man who attacked and tried to kidnap a Wyoming girl outside a Riverton movie theater was sentenced Thursday to 36-40 years in prison. His victim told Cowboy State Daily that as she fought him off, she was determined to not be another memorial on Facebook.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2025

A Wyoming Department of Transportation webcam at the Green River Tunnel shows traffic moving through it again Thursday morning, Feb. 20, 2025, one lane each way through the eastbound tunnel.

Green River Tunnel Open To 2-Way Traffic Again After Devastating Crash

The Wyoming Department of Transportation has opened two-way traffic through the Green River Tunnel on Thursday for the first time since a devastating 26-vehicle crash last Friday. Traffic is moving through the eastbound lanes at reduced speeds.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2025

Two Dead In Crash Outside Of Green River; Not Part Of Tunnel Detour

Two people died and one person was injured in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday evening outside Green River, at a junction that isn’t part of a congested detour through the town, the Wyoming Highway Patrol says.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2025

Bill sponsor Rep. Joel Guggenmos, R-Riverton, and Sara Burlingame, executive director of LGBTQ-advocacy group Wyoming Equality, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

Senate To Hear Bill Banning Sexually Explicit Shows From Getting Public Money

The Wyoming Senate got a bill Wednesday that would ban public money going to support sexually explicit events and entertainment. The bill would also keep government buildings from hosting those events in their spaces.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 20, 2025

Wyoming Anti-Squatter Bills Close To Becoming Law

A bill that would help law enforcement remove squatters passed the Wyoming House on Wednesday. If the Senate approves late changes to it, it will head to the governor's desk. Another bill targeting fake landlords is pending in the House.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2025

A combination of body camera and home surveillance video shows the altercation that led up to a Thermopolis police officer and Hot Springs County sheriff's deputy to shoot a man wielding a bat in September 2024.

Wyoming Cops Release Dramatic Video Showing Shooting Of Man With Baseball Bat

A compilation of body, dash camera and home video released Tuesday shows what led two law enforcement officers to shoot and kill a Thermopolis man threatening them with a baseball bat. The man’s distraught father asks, “Why’d you have to shoot somebody?”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2025

Man Who Bleached Romantic Rival To Stay In Prison Under “Deadly Weapon” Law

Liquid bleach can be a deadly weapon, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The decision comes after a man who splashed bleach in his romantic rival’s face challenged his felony conviction.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2025

Christopher Johnson, 20, left, and Quentin Romero, 22, right, both of Rawlins, have been identified as two of three fatalities from Friday's Green River Tunnel crash. A photo of the third, Harmanjeet Singh, 30 of Nova Scotia, Canada, was not available.

Two Rawlins Men, One From Canada ID'd As Green River Tunnel Crash Fatalities

Authorities Tuesday released the names of the three men who died Friday in a devastating Green River, Wyoming, tunnel collision. They are Christopher Johnson, 20 of Rawlins; Quentin Romero, 22 of Rawlins; and Harmanjeet Singh, 30 of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 19, 2025

Sheridan Police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee was shot and killed in the line of duty Feb. 13, 2024, allegedy by William F. Lowery. Nearly a year later, Lowery's mother has been indicted on allegations she gave weapons to a felon.

Mother Of Alleged Sheridan Cop Killer Charged With Giving Guns To Felon

The 71-year-old mother of the man suspected of shooting and killing a Sheridan police sergeant last February has been federally charged with giving guns to a felon. The indictment doesn’t say whether that felon was her son.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 18, 2025

Cliff Harshman lost his entire family last week when his wife, suffering from postpartum depression, shot her four young daughters then herself in their Byron, Wyoming, home. He tells Cowboy State Daily he’s just living one breath to the next.

Byron Man Discusses Wife's Last Days Before Murder-Suicide

Twelve hours after his wife shot her four children and herself, Cliff Harshman sat in a hospital waiting room. “I sat and wept. And I cried to God: ‘Please forgive her. Help me forgive her,’” he told Cowboy State Daily. “I lost my best friend. My kids. Everything.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 18, 2025

Andrea Domhoff, a local single mother of two, was in the Green River Tunnel during Friday's horrific fatal pileup. She says a man named Ray Norton helped save her and others from the fiery, smoke-filled cavern.

Single Mom Caught In Green River Tunnel Says Hero Led Survivors From Fiery Crash

A local single mom who was caught in an explosive 26-vehicle crash Friday in the Green River Tunnel says a hero named Ray led her and others out of the tunnel. She dragged her arm along the wall to escape in the thick, black smoke.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 17, 2025

Friday's crash inside the westbound Green River Tunnel killed three people, officials confirmed as the final death toll.

Final Death Toll In Green River Tunnel Crash At 3, Cause Under Investigation

Investigators said Monday that the final death toll in the 26-vehicle collision inside the Green River Tunnel on Interstate 80 is three dead. The cause and circumstances remain under investigation.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 17, 2025

From the charred westbound lane of the Green River Tunnel on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025.

WYDOT Director Says Green River Tunnel Crash Started Outside Tunnel

The 26-vehicle fatal crash inside the Green River Tunnel on Interstate 80 started outside of the tunnel, WYDOT Director Darin Westby told Cowboy State Daily on Monday. Work crews continue to clear debris from the roadway.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 17, 2025

Quinn Blackmer with his two daughters Brailey, right, and Olivia. Both were shot Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. Brailey, 9, died, while Olivia, 7, at left, has died after fighting for her life in a Salt Lake City hospital for nearly a week.

Olivia, 7-Year-Old Lone Survivor Of Byron Murder-Suicide, Dies In Utah Hospital

Olivia Blackmer, 7, was the lone survivor of a Feb. 10 murder-suicide in Byron, Wyoming, by which her three sisters and mother died last week. Olivia pulled through a brain surgery early last week, but ultimately died Saturday, her family has confirmed.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 16, 2025

State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, is a proponent of Wyoming enacting bills aimed and enforcing immigration laws in the state.

Government Overreach, Sloppy Drafting Kill 2 Of 3 Wyoming Immigration Bills

The Wyoming Legislature killed two of three immigration-related bills after critics said they were poorly written. They also say the bills included overreach to constricted law enforcement agencies already cooperative with federal immigration officials.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 14, 2025

An investigation is underway at the Green River Tunnel along Interstate 80 after a fatal multi-vehicle crash sparked explosions and an intense fire inside Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Fire, Weakened Structure Keeps Responders Out Of Tunnel For Hours; Motorists Run For Safety

Fire and rescue crews at an explosive tunnel collision outside Green River could not enter the tunnel for hours Friday after the initial crash. The fire inside was too intense, and the tunnel’s structure had been weakened. Motorists inside the tunnel had to run for safety.

Clair McFarland, Jimmy Orr & Andrew RossiFebruary 14, 2025

Response Shifts To Recovery After “Huge Explosions,” Multiple Fatalities In Crash In Green River Tunnel

Heavy, black smoke billowed out of both ends of the Green River Tunnel along Interstate 80 after a fatal multivehicle pileup and fire inside Friday afternoon. Witnesses report feeling and hearing “huge explosions.” By late Friday night, the response had shifted from rescue to recovery.

Andrew Rossi, Clair McFarland & Jimmy OrrFebruary 14, 2025

It's Been A Year Since Sheridan Police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee Was Killed On Duty

Feb. 13 will always be a day the Sheridan Police Department will never forget. It was a year ago Thursday that Sgt. Nevada Krinkee, a popular veteran of the police force, was killed in the line of duty. His sacrifice is being remembered in Sheridan and around Wyoming.