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 Says Stabbing Brother In The Spleen Was Self-Defense

A Gillette man accused of stabbing his brother so that the latter's spleen had to be removed told a judge Thursday that he was defending himself. Aaron Duane Smith could face up to life in prison if convicted of attempted murder.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 25, 2025

RFK Jr. Tells Wyoming, Other States It's Time For Abortion Drug Safety Study

Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz said he joined 21 other states in asking the FDA to investigate an abortion-inducing drug because of a noteworthy safety report. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. agrees, saying it's time for a study.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 25, 2025

Rock Springs Man Accused Of Stabbing Landlord's Eye Out With Pliers Headed To Trial

Robert Downum, accused of stabbing his elderly landlord’s eye out with pliers two winters ago in Rock Springs, is set to stand trial in three weeks. Self-defense and mental illness arguments may both be part of his jury trial, court records indicate.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 24, 2025

When former state lawmaker Scott Clem heard Google’s announcement on Monday that the Biden administration successfully pressured them into censoring content, he wasn’t surprised. Four years ago, he called it “the end of free speech.”

Wyoming Politician Says He Was Right — Tech Giants Bowed To Government Censorship

When former state lawmaker Scott Clem heard of YouTube's Tuesday announcement that the Biden administration pressured it into censoring content, he wasn't surprised. Four years ago, he was criticized for calling the censorship "the end of free speech."

Clair McFarlandSeptember 24, 2025

FBI Director Kash Patel said cartels are dropping drugs on reservations with drones and it’s time for a counter federal drone attack. The Northern Arapaho Tribal government said it's looking into whether that's happening in Wyoming.

FBI Director: It’s Time To Send Drones To Battle Drugs On The Reservation

FBI Director Kash Patel said cartels are dropping drugs onto reservations with drones and it’s time for a federal drone counterattack. The Northern Arapaho Tribal government said it's looking into whether that's happening in Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 24, 2025

Sheriffs deputies described walking in on a nightmare scene Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in a home where a mother is suspected of shooting her four children, then herself. A next-door neighbor says they were blindsided and never saw any outward signs the mom was struggling.

Mother Of Byron Mom Who Killed Her Kids And Herself Sues Over Ketamine Medication

The mother of the Byron, Wyoming, mom who killed her four kids and herself in a murder-suicide earlier this year has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. She claims Sage Psychiatry and a nurse negligently let her daughter use the medication ketamine at home.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 23, 2025

Members of the Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation met on Monday to discuss autonomous vehicles

Wyoming Leaders To Talk Self-Driving Vehicle Program With Tesla

Wyoming legislators on Monday discussed the feasibility of a self-driving vehicle pilot program in the state's government fleet. In the meantime, Sen. Chris Rothfuss emphasized, the state should pursue good laws on the topic.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 23, 2025

Cheyenne Teacher Faces New Charges After 2,100 Child Abuse Images Allegedly Found

The re-arrest of a Cheyenne teacher who was out on bond in a case where he’s accused of sexually touching children stemmed from the discovery of more than 2,100 images of children, some as young as 4, being sexually abused, court documents allege.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 22, 2025

Wyoming Lawmaker Walks 3 Miles On Crutches To Get Seat At Charlie Kirk Funeral

Wyoming Rep. Scott Smith, who uses crutches due to a physical disability, walked nearly three miles to reach Charlie Kirk's funeral when traffic bottlenecked. “The number one takeaway (from that funeral) is the most important thing in life is your walk with Christ,” he said.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 22, 2025

Clair McFarland: Trump's FCC Chair Channeled The Ghost Of Jen Psaki

Clair McFarland writes: "If you wept over RFK getting Psaki’d but you rejoice over Kimmel getting Carred, go back to fourth grade civics. If you wept over Kimmel getting Carred but you rejoiced over RFK getting Psaki’d, go back to fourth grade civics."

Clair McFarlandSeptember 21, 2025

Albany County Dems Buy Billboards To Target Delegation Over Public Lands

The Albany County Democratic Party bought billboards blasting what it sees as a chink in the armor of Wyoming’s Republican members of Congress. The signs depict them as selling off public lands.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 20, 2025

Wyoming Churches See Revival, Shakeup After Charlie Kirk's Death

Attendance at many Wyoming churches surged and services grew more poignant after Charlie Kirk’s death. Leaders cite Kirk's outspoken faith and a wave of spiritual searching, fueled by national grief and widely shared videos of the shot that killed Kirk.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 19, 2025

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Six Years After Charged, Man Guilty Of Hiding Woman’s Dead Body In Park County

Six years after he was accused of killing a woman, having sex with her body, then hiding the body in Park County, a Wyoming man has been found guilty of hiding the body. A charge of first-degree murder was dropped when a judge found him incompetent.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 19, 2025

U.S. Marshals who shot and killed Steven Sheesley during a March arrest attempt in Evanston have been cleared of wrongdoing. Uinta County's top prosecutor said Wednesday they were reasonable to think the man, who was on meth, was trying to shoot them.

Fatal Shooting Of Fugitive By Feds In Evanston Justified, Prosecutor Rules

U.S. Marshals who shot and killed man during a March arrest attempt in Evanston have been cleared of wrongdoing. Uinta County's top prosecutor said Wednesday they were reasonable to think the man, who was on meth, was trying to shoot them.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 19, 2025

Scattered Human Remains Found In Wind River Mountains

Hunters found separated human bones scattered in a remote area near the Sweetwater Guard Station Campground in western Wyoming, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office reported Wednesday. The bones appear to have been there for about five years.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 18, 2025

Rep. Harriet Hageman told Cowboy State Daily the new Jan. 6 committee she’s on is legitimate, while the one Liz Cheney vice-chaired was not. She wants to focus on the security failures at the Capitol but declined to critique Cheney’s work on the panel.

Hageman Says New J6 Committee Legitimate, Cheney’s Was Not

Rep. Harriet Hageman on Wednesday told Cowboy State Daily the new Jan. 6 committee she’s on will seek to probe and remedy security failures at the Capitol. She declined to critique Liz Cheney's prior investigative findings.

Clair McFarlandSeptember 18, 2025

Makeshift memorial for Charlie Kirk outside of the headquarters of Turning Point USA on September 16, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Wyoming Faith Leaders Launch Peacemaker Group In Wake Of Charlie Kirk Killing

It wasn't set to mobilize until next year, but after Charlie Kirk's killing and other violence, its leaders decided now is the time to launch Become a Peacemaker. It's a new interfaith group dedicated to ending hostility and division across Wyoming.