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.
Latest from Clair McFarland
Rozet Man Accused Of Slashing Girlfriend's Throat With Box Cutter
A Rozet, Wyoming, man is accused of throwing a chair, lamp and door at his girlfriend before cutting her throat with a box cutter. He could face between 20 years and life in prison if convicted of attempted second-degree murder.
Clair McFarlandNovember 23, 2024
Hudson Man Caught In Vigilante Video Now Facing Federal Sex Charge
A Hudson, Wyoming, man accused of chatting with decoys he believed were underage girls and luring them into sex acts has been slapped with a federal sex charge. An indictment returned Wednesday could mean another 20 years in prison for him.
Clair McFarlandNovember 22, 2024
Prosecutor Won't Seek Death Penalty In Fort Bridger Killing
The Uinta County prosecutor will not seek the death penalty in the first-degree murder case of Skyler Gray who is accused of gunning down Jeremy Jaques in Fort Bridger. Gray allegedly shot at Jaques six times – then another four times once Jaques was on the ground.
Clair McFarlandNovember 22, 2024
Woman Charged With Stealing Wyoming Deputy’s Car, Flashing His Gun
Laramie County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two women after one of them managed to bypass a safety feature on a patrol vehicle and steal it Wednesday. She also reportedly flashed a gun that was in the car before being stopped with spike strips.
Clair McFarlandNovember 21, 2024
Rawlins UPS Worker Accused Of Stealing Crime Evidence Sent To State Lab
A Rawlins UPS worker accused of stealing drugs and other crime evidence out of boxes on their way to the state crime lab was charged Wednesday. A laundry list of alleged stolen items also were found at her home, including a camera meant for a school's yearbook club.
Clair McFarlandNovember 21, 2024
Judge Won't Dismiss Case After Duck Hunter Claims Friend's Death Was Accident
The question of whether a Wyoming college student recklessly shot and killed his friend during a winter duck hunt is too big for just one judge to decide and should go to a jury instead, a judge ruled Monday.
Clair McFarlandNovember 20, 2024
Hageman Supports New Transgender Bathroom Rule In US House
Wyoming congresswoman Harriet Hageman said Wednesday she supports a new rule for the U.S. House designating women's bathrooms and changing rooms for females, and men's bathrooms and changing rooms for males.
Clair McFarlandNovember 20, 2024
Mountain West Says Lawsuit Made Up “Emergency” To Oust Transgender Player
The Mountain West Conference on Tuesday asked a federal court to leave its upcoming volleyball tournament alone. It also accuses the women who sued the MWC of making up their own “emergency” to remove a transgender player from the tournament.
Clair McFarlandNovember 20, 2024
Judge Backs Gordon, Denies Casper Doctor's Pitch To Get Back On Medicine Board
A judge ruled Thursday that Gov. Mark Gordon acted appropriately when calling for Dr. Eric Cubin to step down from the Wyoming Board of Medicine due to his "bias." Cubin had criticized a doctor and medical group for lobbying against child sex-change bans.
Clair McFarlandNovember 20, 2024
Punch That Killed Sheridan Hockey Coach Not Self-Defense, Prosecutor says
Cody McCalla says he acted in self-defense when he fatally punched Sheridan hockey coach Patrick Mudd in July. But the Sheridan County attorney argued Monday that McCalla's self-defense filing is missing some key details.
Clair McFarlandNovember 19, 2024
Cody Man Accused Of Stabbing Mother Claims She Had “Little People” Annoy Him
A Cody, Wyoming, man was arrested Monday on claims he stabbed his mother in a bloody struggle. He told police she brought “little people” to her house to annoy him and added, “I don’t know why I am so happy," court documents say.
Clair McFarlandNovember 19, 2024
Wyoming Will Appeal “Frustrating” Ruling To Block Abortion Bans, Gordon Says
Gov. Mark Gordon calls a Monday ruling to strike down Wyoming’s abortion bans “frustrating” and announced Tuesday the state will appeal. “It just sickens me,” says one leading supporter of the bans, while opponents hail the ruling as a victory.
Clair McFarlandNovember 19, 2024
Abortion To Remain Legal In Wyoming As Judge Blocks Abortion Bans
Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens blocked Wyoming's two abortion bans Monday, saying abortion is health care and the Wyoming Constitution protects a woman's right to the procedure.
Clair McFarlandNovember 19, 2024
Thermopolis Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Stealing From FFA Alumni
A Thermopolis, Wyoming, woman pleaded not guilty Monday to charges she stole $15,000 to $18,000 from the local Future Farmers of America Alumni. But in interviews with the police chief, she admitted skimming the group’s bank accounts, according to an affidavit.
Clair McFarlandNovember 19, 2024
Wyoming Delegation Urges Mountain West Conf. To Ban Males From Women’s Sports
Wyoming’s congressional delegation and 10 more members of Congress sent a letter Monday to the Mountain West Conference’s commissioner, urging her to keep males out of women’s sports.
Clair McFarlandNovember 18, 2024
Saratoga Man's Tailgate Falls Off During Chase, Charged With Littering And Meth
A Saratoga, Wyoming, man got a 7-foot-long list of citations last week after leading deputies on a chase and crashing in a ditch. Among those are allegations of having meth and littering for when his tailgate fell off.
Clair McFarlandNovember 18, 2024
Jury Finds Fremont County Man Guilty Of Killing His Disabled Landlord
A jury found Burdick Nelson Seminole guilty Friday of first-degree murder for gunning down his disabled landlord in August 2023. Court documents say Seminole was evicted for bringing young females to the home and getting them high.
Clair McFarlandNovember 18, 2024
Mountain West Denies It Snuck In New Rule To Punish Boycott Of Trans Player
The Mountain West Conference told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday that it didn't suddenly edit its rules to punish schools for boycotting a women's volleyball team with a transgender player. The women suing the conference claim it did.
Clair McFarlandNovember 16, 2024
Rural Wyoming Police Chief Accused Of Helping Girlfriend Evade Meth Arrest
Manderson, Wyoming, Police Chief Brandon “BJ” Kidgell is accused of tipping off a woman he was dating to drug searches of her house and attempts to arrest her. The six charges, which include neglect of duty, were filed Thursday.
Clair McFarlandNovember 15, 2024
Cody Man Accused Of Stalking Ex, Hoarding Homemade Explosives
Though Randall Bailey, 64, does not appear to be charged with possessing explosives, court documents say police found homemade explosive devices in his Cody, Wyoming, home. He remains in jail on suspicion of stalking his ex-wife.
Clair McFarlandNovember 15, 2024
Utah Man Says He Was Hired To Cash $13K In Fake Checks In Wyoming
A Utah man is the Lincoln County, Wyoming, jail on claims that he drained the Alpine Standard gas station's bank account of $13,000. He’s accused of cashing fake checks, but claims he was hired to cash them and had no idea they were fake.
Clair McFarlandNovember 14, 2024