Writer

Dale Killingbeck

Killingbeck is glad to be back in journalism after working for 18 years in corporate communications with a health system in northern Michigan. He spent the previous 16 years working for newspapers in western Michigan in various roles.

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Latest from Dale Killingbeck

The intersection of Indian Paintbrush and Aster streets where someone left a pressure cooker on Monday.

Pressure Cooker That Closed Casper Streets Not A Bomb, But Linked To Drugs

Casper Police Department continues to investigate why someone left a pressure cooker on a street corner, prompting street closings and a bomb squad response. It didn’t contain explosives, but did hold items associated with illegal drug use.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 29, 2025

The sudden death of a 21-year-old Casper man has left his family devastated. Braeden Rayner was traveling on I-25 Sunday, July 27, 2025, when the SUV he was in rolled. A year ago, he prophetically posted to Facebook how life can end “in the blink of an eye.”

Sudden Death Of Casper 21-Year-Old In Rollover Leaves Family Devastated

The sudden death of a 21-year-old Casper man has left his family devastated. Braeden Rayner was traveling on I-25 Sunday when the SUV he was in rolled. A year ago, he prophetically posted to Facebook how life can end “in the blink of an eye.”

Dale KillingbeckJuly 29, 2025

A Casper Fire Department truck and Banner Health ambulance block Indian Paintbrush Street on Casper’s southwest side.

FBI, ATF Called To Casper After ‘Suspicious Package’ Closes Neighborhood

The FBI and ATF are being called in to help Casper Police Department investigate a “suspicious package” that closed streets and prompted recommendations that area residents leave their homes Monday.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 28, 2025

Arrest warrants were issued last week for Darrick M. Mittlestadt, chief of Laramie County Fire District No. 1, and his wife Angela Mittlestadt, accusing them of starving their adopted son, 13, and chaining his room shut. The teen weighed 50 pounds when the alleged abuse was discovered.

Wyoming Fire Chief, Wife Accused Of Starving Adopted Son, 13, Blocking Room Shut

Arrest warrants were issued last week for the chief of Laramie County Fire District No. 1 and his wife, who are accused of starving their adopted son, 13, and blocking his room shut. The teen weighed 50 pounds when the alleged abuse was discovered.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 28, 2025

Keith Carradine, left, plays Wild Bill Hickok in HBO's "Deadwood."

New Book On Deadwood By Accomplished Historian Will Dispel Myths, He Says

Accomplished historian Peter Cozzens latest book focuses on Deadwood, South Dakota between 1876 and 1879. He says those who watched the HBO series will “be surprised.” Spoiler alert: the HBO version wasn't exactly accurate when it came to Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 27, 2025

The new University of Wyoming Dining Hall entrance. The Dining Hall is part of the overall North Hall building.

Inside UW’s New $289 Million Gothic, State-Of-The-Art Dorms And Dining Hall

The finishing touches are being put on the University of Wyoming’s new $289 million dormitories and dining hall. Here’s an inside look at the classic Gothic, state-of-the-art buildings that will open for students next month.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 26, 2025

Shane Paul loves to get out in the wild and shoot scenery and animals in Wyoming’s great outdoors. The slow motion video he got of this bull ride at Cheyenne Frontier Days is 21 seconds of adrenaline and pain.

Quadriplegic Photographer’s ‘Epic’ Slow Motion Bull Ride Video Is 21 Seconds Of Pain

A 49-year-old quadriplegic photographer from Cheyenne who typically focuses on wildlife and landscapes has been enjoying Cheyenne Frontier Days this week. He caught an “epic” bull ride in slow motion that’s 21 seconds of adrenaline and pain.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 25, 2025

Court records made available Thursday show that a 50-year-old care worker tied a resident’s head to a bed using a scarf in a Casper NOWCAP facility home.

Casper Nursing Care Worker Accused Of Tying Woman's Head To Bed

A Casper nursing care worker is accused of using a scarf to tie the head of a female resident to a bed, according to court documents made available Thursday. Police were called when coworkers found the woman still tied to the bed in the morning.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 24, 2025

A former Casper police officer was supposed to be sentenced Thursday, July 24, 2025, for shooting at law enforcement during a 17-hour standoff last August. The sentencing was postponed because Michael Hughes fell off a crane and badly broke his leg.

Ex-Casper Cop Can’t Be Sentenced For Armed Standoff Because He Fell Off A Crane

A former Casper police officer was supposed to be sentenced Thursday for shooting at law enforcement during a 17-hour standoff last August. The sentencing was postponed because Michael Hughes fell off a crane and badly broke his leg.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 24, 2025

The only U.S.-owned MiG-29 Russian fighter jet was at the Casper airport Wedesday, July 24, 2025, to refuel.

Only U.S.-Owned Russian-Made MiG-29 Fighter Jet Lands At Casper Airport

Anyone who was around the Casper/Natrona International Airport on Wednesday afternoon witnessed a rare sight. The only U.S. privately-owned Russian-made MiG-29 flew in for some fuel.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 24, 2025

Casper Man Accused Of Nearly Biting Deputy’s Finger Off To Have Mental Exam

A 39-year-old Casper man pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness Wednesday to charges stemming from an altercation with deputies at the Natrona County Jail in May. He’s accused of nearly biting a deputy’s finger off.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 23, 2025

One of the abandoned guinea pigs enjoys a clean cage along with food and water on Tuesday.

Casper Humane Society Scrambles To Care For 42 Abandoned Guinea Pigs

After 42 guinea pigs were dumped at its doors on Friday, the Casper Humane Society has rallied to get cages and provide food, water, health checks and future homes for the pets. The little pigs had arrived in poor condition with no water or food.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 22, 2025

Other Authors

A young Laramie native named Walter Doyle, left, left Wyoming in 1909 and returned in 1947. In the years between, he forged a career in the U.S. Navy that included becoming a submarine commander and a friendship with famed Admiral Chester Nimitz.

How A Guy From Laramie Became A Sub Commander And Friend Of Admiral Nimitz

A young Laramie native left Wyoming in 1909 and returned in 1947. In the years between, he forged a career in the U.S. Navy that included becoming a submarine commander and a friendship with famed Admiral Chester Nimitz.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 20, 2025

The Nowood International Airport sign at the Orchard Ranch south of Ten Sleep, Wyoming, has been in place for many years and was a gift to the Orchard family from some hunters.

What Is The "Nowood International Airport" In The Middle Of Nowhere, Wyoming?

Driving down a remote Washakie County dirt road is not the place one would expect to see an “international” airport. But there it is — a weathered little building with a metal roof and a large sign that declares it’s the “Nowood International Airport.”

Dale KillingbeckJuly 20, 2025

The Pendleton version of the cow purchased by Joe’s Liquor and Bar is the last one. It will be sold to a private buyer.

One ‘Last Rodeo’ For Legendary Rock Springs Dive Bar’s Tipsy Cow

The upside-down cow that sat outside Joe's Drive-In Liquor Bar in Rock Springs is back. Property owner Angela Gaensslen said it's the “last rodeo” for the symbol of the dive bar that served Rock Springs for 64 years before closing in March.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 19, 2025

Cheyenne Man Survived The Devastating 1976 Big Thompson Flood In A Ford Pinto

Cheyenne native Alan O’Hashi vividly remembers being caught in the canyon when the Big Thompson Flood hit on July 31, 1976. He survived the deadliest flood in Colorado history when somehow a floating portable toilet snagged onto his Ford Pinto bumper and carried the car to the canyon wall instead of “over the edge.”

Dale KillingbeckJuly 19, 2025

Casper 18-year-olds Sammantha (left) and Hannah Brooks were more than best friends; they were inseparable twins. That bond was shattered this week when the car they were in hit an elk at 101 mph. Hannah survived but Sammantha, a “ray of light,” didn’t.

Casper Family Devastated After Teen Dies When Car Hits Elk At 101 MPH

Casper 18-year-olds Sammantha and Hannah Brooks were more than best friends; they were inseparable twins. That bond was shattered this week when the car they were in hit an elk at 101 mph. Hannah survived but Sammantha, who was called a “ray of light,” didn’t.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 19, 2025

A box truck lost its brakes on Thursday and was saved by the “catchnet” vehicle arrestor system installed on Teton Pass, one of two in the state.

One Of Wyoming’s 2 ‘Catchnet’ Systems Saves Driver Of Runaway Truck On Teton Pass

One of Wyoming’s two “catchnet” systems to stop runaway vehicles saved the driver of a box truck that lost its brakes on Teton Pass on Thursday. The catchnet uses a series of energy-absorbing nets that can slow and stop high-speed and heavy vehicles.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 18, 2025

Casper Drug Mule Pleads Guilty, To Testify Against Others In Meth/Fentanyl Ring

A 49-year-old Casper woman who was trafficking meth, fentanyl and cocaine from Colorado to Wyoming pleaded guilty Thursday in a plea deal with prosecutors. She received eight years in prison, and in return will testify against others in the drug ring.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 17, 2025

Dallas Dickinson, 20, of Casper is accused of pulling a loaded handgun on a group of teen girls at the skate park next to the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming pleaded not guilty in Natrona County District Court on Thursday, July 17, 2025 .

Casper Man, 20, Denies Pulling Loaded Handgun On Girls At Skate Park

A 20-year-old Casper man accused of pulling a loaded handgun on three teen girls at a skate park pleaded not guilty Thursday in Natrona County District Court. He’s accused of racking the weapon and pointing it at the girls “gangster style.”

Dale KillingbeckJuly 17, 2025

Cheyenne Man Accused Of Using Brass Knuckles, Pistol To Steal Xbox

A 32-year-old Cheyenne man is accused of using brass knuckles, and then a pistol, in his attempt to take a $700 Xbox video game console from someone’s home. He now faces five criminal charges that could send him to prison for decades.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 16, 2025

How A Young Cuban Exile Became A Wyoming Ag Hall-Of-Fame Rancher

Once an 11-year-old exile from Fidel Castro’s Communist Cuba, Juan Reyes was recently named to the Wyoming Agriculture Hall of Fame. Juan Reyes knew nothing about the U.S. when he arrived, but says ranching in Wyoming became his American dream.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 13, 2025

Wyoming pioneering game warden Albert Nelson, left, once set the broken leg of famed wildlife artist Carl Rungius, right. The thankful painter gave Nelson a painting that was later saved from the devastating 1927 Kelly Flood.

Wyoming History: Legendary Artist Gave Wyoming's First Game Warden Painting For Setting Broken Leg

Wyoming pioneering game warden Albert Nelson once set the broken leg of legendary wildlife artist Carl Rungius. The thankful artist gave Nelson a rare original painting that was later saved from the devastating 1927 Kelly Flood.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 13, 2025

Cheyenne Man Who Made Courthouse Bomb Threat To Testify Against Accomplice

A 44-year-old Cheyenne man pleaded guilty Thursday to calling in a bomb threat to the Laramie County court complex. He did it on the advice of a female friend, who was allegedly trying to disrupt her jury trial.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 11, 2025

The imaging device used during an EP procedure.

Casper’s $7.3M Cardio Lab Will Save People Hours Of Travel For Simple Treatments

A new $7.3 million lab has opened at Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper that targets the electrical part of the heart. It will save central Wyoming heart patients hours of travel, sometimes out of state, to get 15-minute procedures.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 10, 2025

Casper Mountain Preservation Alliance Chairperson Carolyn Griffith, with megaphone, talks with Casper Mountain supporters opposed to gravel mining during a hike on the state school section last year.

Gravel Mine Developer Appeals State Land Board Denial Of Casper Mountain Leases

The company pushing to mine gravel on state-owned land at the base of Casper Mountain isn’t giving up. After the State Land Board denied renewing the leases for Prism Logistics, the company this week filed a judicial appeal of the land board’s decision.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 09, 2025

Phillip Angel Gaspar, 20, of Casper on Wednesday pleaded guilty Wednesday to being drunk and leading police on a high-speed chase at more than 100 mph. He then crashed, nearly killing himself and two passengers.

Casper Man Admits Being Drunk, Fleeing Police At 100 MPH And Crash That Hurt 2

A 20-year-old Casper man pleaded guilty Wednesday to being drunk and leading police on a high-speed chase at more than 100 mph. He then crashed, nearly killing himself and two passengers.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 09, 2025

Casper Man Who Shot Crossbow Through Ex’s Window Gets Up To 8 Years In Prison

A 48-year-old Casper man who vowed “revenge” on an ex-girlfriend, then shot a crossbow bolt through her window, was sentenced Wednesday to up to eight years in prison. He told the court he was sorry, while the prosecutor pointed out he’s a 10-time felon.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 09, 2025

Flames engulf the Wulf family’s shop on Saturday.

Fire Destroys Glenrock Family Shop — And 4-H Supplies For Kids Week Before Fair

The Glenrock, Wyoming, community has rallied around two 4-H families left stunned after a Saturday fire burned a family’s shed to the ground. Everything in the shed was lost, including the feed and supplies for another family’s 4-H kids.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 08, 2025

The Natrona County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting in a camping area between Black Beach Campground and Cottonwood Campground at Alcova Reservoir that sent two Colorado residents to the hospital on Saturday night.

Drunk Colorado Man Allegedly Pulls Rifle At Alcova Reservoir, He And Woman Get Shot

Trying to keep a drunk Colorado man from driving led to the man and a woman getting shot in their legs Saturday at Alcova Reservoir. The Natrona County Sheriff’s Office says the drunk man pointed a rifle at a Casper man, who responded by firing a handgun.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 07, 2025