Crime & Courts | Cowboy State Daily

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

Worland Man Guilty Of Shooting HIs Dog Six Times To ‘Put It Out Of My Misery’

A Worland man was found guilty this week of shooting his own dog six times, with court documents saying he wanted to “put it out of my misery.” The dog’s new owner said Friday that the 1-year-old border collie mix is still recovering.

Clair McFarlandAugust 01, 2025

A 25-year-old Casper woman, Justus Delilah Gagne, was in court Thursday accused of stabbing her mother twice and slashing her tires. She also told an investigator she thought her mother was “a witch with dark energy” and tried to run her over.

Casper Woman Who Stabbed Mother Twice Thought She Was ‘A Witch With Dark Energy’

A 25-year-old Casper woman was in court Thursday accused of stabbing her mother twice and slashing her tires. She also told an investigator she thought her mother was “a witch with dark energy” and tried to run her over.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 01, 2025

Man Dubbed The ‘High Country Harasser’ Has Mental Health Issues, Mother Says

A man accused of harassing hikers along the Continental Divide Trail in Wyoming needs mental help, his mother says. She also takes issue with his being dubbed the “High Country Harasser,” but agrees he could pose a danger to others and himself.

Clair McFarlandAugust 01, 2025

Grand Jury For Cody Roberts Over Wolf Torture A Rare Route In Wyoming

A grand jury is being convened for Cody Roberts, the Daniel, Wyoming, man who ran down a wolf, taped its mouth shut and showed it off before killing it in 2024, according to a Wyofile report. Convening a grand jury is rare in Wyoming, but not unheard of.

Clair McFarlandJuly 31, 2025

“You need to get people coming,” a commercial truck driver said he told the 911 operator Wednesday night, July 30, 2025, about a head-on crash between a car and a semi. Authorities confirm one person was killed in the crash on Wyoming Highway 220 near Muddy Gap.

One Dead, Another Hurt In Head-On With Semi On Highway 220 Near Muddy Gap

“You need to get people coming,” a commercial truck driver said he told the 911 operator Wednesday night about a head-on crash between a car and a semi. Authorities confirm one person was killed in the crash on Wyoming Highway 220 near Muddy Gap.

Clair McFarlandJuly 31, 2025

Wyoming state Sen. Darrin Smith, R-Cheyenne, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming.

Trump Nominates Cheyenne Legislator To Be U.S. Attorney For District Of Wyoming

Trump on Wednesday nominated state Sen. Darin Smith for the U.S. Attorney post in Wyoming. If confirmed, Smith would lead federal prosecutions across Wyoming, including national parks and the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Clair McFarlandJuly 31, 2025

Wyoming Man Arrested For Drunken Golf Cart Rampage Through New York Airport

A 29-year-old Cheyenne man was arrested Monday for taking a motorized golf cart off-roading inside the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. He was “visibly intoxicated,” drove the cart on a motorized walkway and faces a list of criminal charges.

Andrew RossiJuly 30, 2025

Cody Police Say Man Wielded Knife Before Officer Shot Him

The man shot by a Cody Police Department officer Monday evening was wielding a knife, the agency reported Wednesday. The 22-year-old Gillette man also was wanted on warrants for alleged domestic abuse, including assaulting a pregnant woman.

Clair McFarlandJuly 30, 2025

Laramie County Sheriffs Office patrol car 7 30 25

Cheyenne Man Tells Investigator He ‘Hoards’ Child Porn, Faces Felony Charges

A 28-year-old Cheyenne man faces five felony child pornography charges following a three-month investigation, according to court records made available Tuesday. He told an investigator he “hoards” child porn and finds the images “interesting and weird.”

Dale KillingbeckJuly 30, 2025

Laramie county school district building 2 12 25

Cheyenne Fifth Grade Teacher Arrested, Accused Of Molesting Girls

An elementary school teacher in Cheyenne has been arrested on suspicion of touching multiple female students inappropriately during the past school year. Brian Wrhel, 55, remains in the Laramie County Detention Center.

Clair McFarlandJuly 30, 2025

A Laramie County fire chief and his wife have been arrested and posted bond on charges related to the alleged imprisonment and starvation of their 13-year-old adopted son. A preliminary hearing is set for Aug. 6, 2025.

Laramie County Fire Chief, Wife Accused Of Starving, Imprisoning Boy Free On Bond

A Laramie County fire chief and his wife were in Cheyenne Circuit Court on Wednesday. They were arrested Monday after warrants were issued accusing them of starving and imprisoning their 13-year-old adopted son. They are now free on bond.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 30, 2025

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

Campbell County Courthouse in Gillette, Wyoming.

Supreme Court Sides With Wyoming Public Defender Who Quit Over Contempt Order

A Gillette-based state judge didn’t take the proper steps when holding a tardy public defense attorney in contempt, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The lawyer quit after the judge punished him, worsening a critical shortage of public defenders.

Clair McFarlandJuly 29, 2025

A man who led Cody police on a chase through the town Monday night, July 28, 2025, was killed in an officer-involved shooting after he stopped. The incident began with police trying to pull the man over for not having a license plate, police say.

One Dead In Officer-Involved Shooting East Of Cody

A man who led Cody police on a chase through the town Monday night was killed in an officer-involved shooting after he stopped. The incident began with police trying to pull the man over for not having a license plate, police say.

Clair McFarlandJuly 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

Former Lusk Domestic Violence Center Director Accused Of Stealing $65K From Group

The former director of a domestic violence center in Lusk is facing a felony theft charge on claims she stole more than $65,000 from the nonprofit group. An investigative report alleges Sabrina Kruse had a secret debit card linked to the center’s account.

Clair McFarlandJuly 28, 2025

A Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper makes a stop in this file photo.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Troopers To Take On ICE Functions

Wyoming Highway Patrol has joined a growing list of agencies that have agreed to do some ICE enforcement. Gov. Mark Gordon announced the agreement Monday for WHP troopers to “assist ICE with immigration enforcement while performing their regular duties.”

Clair McFarlandJuly 28, 2025

A group of volunteers — including James Galloway's daughter and step-daughter — walk through Big Goose Creek looking for his clues as to what happened to him.

Family Of Missing Sheridan Man More Desperate As Creek Search Turns Up No Clues

With still no clues, Sheridan police and the family of a man missing for three months are baffled by what might have happened to James “Bo” Galloway. A volunteer search of Big Goose Creek last week turned up nothing.

Jen KocherJuly 26, 2025

Alberto Banicescu, 27, left his apartment wearing a ball cap, cream-colored flannel shirt and shorts. Officers arrested him, handcuffing his wrists behind his back, and led him to the back seat of an SUV.

ICE Grabs Illegal Immigrants In Western Wyoming As Agency Eyes Massive Expansion

ICE officers arrested multiple foreign nationals in a coordinated early-morning operation across Western Wyoming this week. They also discussed implanting teams and offices across Wyoming with a massive new funding increase.

Clair McFarlandJuly 26, 2025

One of the buildings of the defunct Hillcrest Motel in Evanston, Wyoming, was destroyed Saturday in an early-morning fire. It’s the latest in what authorities say has been about eight fires in three years with the persistent squatter inhabitation at the motel complex.

Evanston’s Hillcrest Motel, A Sanctuary For Squatters, Catches Fire Again

One of the buildings of the defunct Hillcrest Motel in Evanston, Wyoming, was destroyed Saturday in an early-morning fire. There have been about eight fires in three years with a persistent squatter inhabitation at the motel complex.

Clair McFarlandJuly 26, 2025

'High-Country Harasser' Arrested on Continental Divide Trail In Carbon County

Nicholas “Cottonmouth” Sampson — aka the “High-Country Harasser” — was arrested in Carbon County on Thursday after allegedly threatening and attacking hikers along the Continental Divide Trail for years, authorities report.

Clair McFarlandJuly 26, 2025

The Thermopolis town council accepted the resignation of police Sgt. Mike Mascorro on Tuesday evening. Mascorro broke into a man’s home and triggered a fatal shootout two years ago. The man’s family sued Mascorro and the department last week.

Officer Who Set Off Fatal Shootout Gives Up Certification, Can’t Be A Wyoming Cop

The former Thermopolis police sergeant who triggered a fatal shootout when he unlawfully entered a suspect’s home surrendered his state policing certification Thursday. That means Mike Mascorro can’t be a cop in Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandJuly 25, 2025

Man Who Walked Into Sheriff's Office And Confessed To Molesting Child Makes Plea

A 73-year-old Green River man who walked into the local sheriff’s office last summer and announced he’d fondled a preteen girl decades earlier pleaded “no contest” on Thursday. Prosecutors agreed to cap their prison sentence request at five years.

Clair McFarlandJuly 25, 2025

A still image from body cam video of a Trumann, Arkansas, police officer who had the last known interaction with Katie Ferguson of Cody, who's been missing since October 2023.

Mom Of Missing Cody Woman Believed Murdered Asks For Help Looking For Evidence

Park County authorities and a grieving mother urge hikers to look out for a pink tote and a Dodge Durango seat. They are potential evidence in the 2023 disappearance and suspected murder of Cody woman Katie Ferguson.

Clair McFarlandJuly 24, 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

Brayden Lovan was an airman at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne when he died on duty Sunday, July 20, 2025.

Airman Who Died In Air Force Gunshot Incident Identified As Kentucky 21-Year-Old

The airman who died in an on-duty incident Sunday at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne has been identified as a 21-year-old from Kentucky. In a Thursday statement, the U.S. Air Force also confirms his death involved a gunshot and a Sig M18 pistol.

Clair McFarlandJuly 24, 2025

Tech. Sgt. Brady Craddock, Air Force Gunsmith Shop noncommissioned officer in charge, fires an M18 handgun in this file photo.

Air Force Division Grounds M18 Handguns After Airman Dies On Wyoming Base

A day after the death of an F.E. Warren Air Force Base airman on Sunday, the Air Force suspended the use of the M18 modular handgun. A Wyoming gunsmith said M18 has a history of reported unintentional firings.

Clair McFarlandJuly 23, 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

5-Year-Old Shot In Belly By 9-Year-Old Brother At Cody Gas Station Recovering

The child shot Tuesday outside a Cody gas station was 5, and the shooter was his 9-year-old brother, police announced Wednesday morning. The family also reports “a positive prognosis for the injured juvenile.”

Clair McFarlandJuly 23, 2025

The mayor of Cody, Wyoming, spent the weekend in the Park County Detention Center. Lee Ann Reiter was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and pleaded not guilty to the charge Monday.

Removal Of Arrested Mayor From Jail Roster Was Error, Sheriff's Office Says

A Park County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy removed the Cody town mayor from a list of jail inmates, shielding her arrest from the public, for reasons unknown last weekend. That was a mistake and has been addressed, the sheriff’s office says.

Clair McFarlandJuly 22, 2025

Child Shot Tuesday In Cody After “Negligent Discharge,” Cody Police Say

Cody police said a child is being treated at Cody Regional Health after being shot at a gas station early Tuesday afternoon. Authorities are calling it a “negligent discharge" of the gun.

Clair McFarlandJuly 22, 2025

Gillette Woman Now Charged With Homicide After Boyfriend Dies In Car Strike

Criminal charges against a Gillette woman were upgraded to vehicular homicide after her boyfriend died last week from injuries he suffered when run over by an SUV on July 5. Dana Johnson could now face up to 32 years in prison.

Clair McFarlandJuly 22, 2025

Colorado ICE Facility Sends Dozens Of Detainees To Wyoming Jails

Out-of-state immigration detainees are entering Wyoming in high volumes, including a batch of 44 transported Friday to Casper. That’s to alleviate the over-capacity ICE facility in Aurora, Colorado, the agency said Monday.

Clair McFarlandJuly 22, 2025

Cody Mayor Arrested On Suspicion Of DUI, Spends Weekend In Jail

The mayor of Cody, Wyoming, spent the weekend in the Park County Detention Center. Lee Ann Reiter was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and pleaded not guilty Monday.

Greg JohnsonJuly 21, 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

Cody Woman Accused In Murder-For-Hire Claims Entrapment By Undercover Agent

A Cody woman accused of soliciting a man she thought was a hitman to kill her daughter’s boyfriend in late 2023 says in a Thursday court filing she plans to tell a jury that the “hitman” — an undercover law enforcement agent — entrapped her.

Clair McFarlandJuly 18, 2025

Douglas Smith, 68, was arrested June 25, 2024, in California on suspicion of first-degree murder for the killing of two men during a 2015 robbery of The Coin Shop in Cheyenne. He was found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder July 18, 2025.

Guilty: Jury Says Douglas Smith Gunned Down 2 Men In Cheyenne Coin Shop In 2015

A 69-year-old California man is guilty of two counts of first-degree murder for killing two men in a Cheyenne coin shop 10 years ago, a jury decided Friday afternoon. Douglas Smith now faces two mandatory life sentences.

Clair McFarlandJuly 18, 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

In a scathing court filing Wednesday, Campbell County denies wrongdoing in the 2023 firing of the former library director Terri Lesley, who is suing. The county says her claims are full of bogus “self-praise” and paint an inaccurate “self-heroic tale.”

Sued By Ousted Library Director, Campbell County Says She's No LGBTQ Hero

In a scathing court filing Wednesday, Campbell County denies wrongdoing in the 2023 firing of the local library director, who is suing. The county says her claims are full of bogus “self-praise” and that she's no LGBTQ hero.

Clair McFarlandJuly 18, 2025

Austin King, left, with his father, Brian King-Henke

Massive Recovery Mission Planned For Yellowstone Hiker Who Vanished 10 Months Ago

A team of private-sector outdoorsmen and another of Yellowstone National Park personnel and volunteers are preparing missions next month to recover Austin King. He’s the 22-year-old hiker who vanished after summiting Eagle Peak last September.

Clair McFarlandJuly 18, 2025

Accused Serial Killer Suspected Of Murdering 2 Women In Wyoming Dies In Tennessee

Clark Perry Baldwin, a convicted murderer and suspected serial killer linked to the deaths of two women in Wyoming, died Friday in Tennessee. His death leaves a Wyoming prosecutor frustrated he won’t stand trial here for the decades-old murders.

Clair McFarlandJuly 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

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak talks about the new mental health pods at the Laramie County Detention Center, describing how a significant number of inmates have serious mental problems but the jail didn't have an adequate place to hold them.

Laramie County Jail To Open Wyoming’s First In-House Mental Health Sections

Nearly half of the inmates in the Laramie County jail have some sort of mental illness, and about 11% are “extremely” ill. That’s why the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office created Wyoming’s first in-house jail pods specifically for mentally ill inmates.

Clair McFarlandJuly 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

‘I-90’ Jane Doe, Suspected Victim Of Serial Killer, Identified After 33 Years

A young, petite, pregnant woman found dead with beating and strangulation injuries 33 years ago in a borrow ditch 15 miles north of Sheridan has been identified as Cindi Arleen Estrada. She’s one of two alleged Wyoming victims of an accused serial killer.

Clair McFarlandJuly 17, 2025

Man Killed In Officer-Involved Shooting ID'd As 37-Year-Old Worland Resident

The man killed in an officer-involved shooting Monday in Worland was 37-year-old Derek Fyffe, the coroner confirmed Wednesday. He reportedly shot at officers as they approached him near a bridge, who returned fire.

Clair McFarlandJuly 16, 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

Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder

Wyoming Judge Blocks School-Choice Program, This Time For Months

A Wyoming judge on Tuesday blocked Wyoming's school-choice program from going into effect, for a period of months or years during a legal challenge against it. The program is likely unconstitutional, wrote the judge.

Clair McFarlandJuly 16, 2025

A man is dead and an officer wounded after a Monday shootout on a bridge in Worldand, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Worland Police Department confirmed Tuesday. The officer sustained non-life-threatening gunshot injuries.

One Man Dead, Officer Wounded In Shootout With Police In Worland

A man is dead and an officer wounded after a Monday shootout on a bridge in Worland, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Worland Police Department confirmed Tuesday. The officer sustained non-life-threatening gunshot injuries.

Clair McFarlandJuly 15, 2025

Debra Laramore-Fenton, mother of Buck Laramore, who was killed in a shootout with a Thermopolis police officer, holds a sign memorializing her son at a protest. A special prosecutor determined that while the officer, Sgt. Mike Mascorrow, was justified in shooting Laramore, he did so after entering his house illegally.

Former Thermopolis Police Sergeant Claims He Can't Be Sued For Fatal Shootout

A former Thermopolis police sergeant in a Monday court filing denied any wrongdoing in a fatal April 2023 shootout that left a local man dead. Former Sgt. Mike Mascorro also says he's protected by qualified immunity, therefore can't be sued.

Clair McFarlandJuly 15, 2025

Man Gets 4.5 Years For Stealing $14M In Gold And Silver From 90-Year-Old Dad

A 61-year-old New Zealand man was sentenced Monday to 4-4.5 years in a Wyoming prison after stealing $14 million in gold and silver from his 90-year-old father’s house in Lincoln County, Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandJuly 14, 2025

Man Killed In Pinedale Alley Was Shot From 2-3 Feet Away

The Sublette County Coroner confirmed Monday the identify of the 67-year-old local man shot to death Friday in a Pinedale, Wyoming, alley. The man was shot from about 2-3 feet away, the Sublette County Coroner says.

Clair McFarlandJuly 14, 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.

Suspected Green River Bomber To Have His Sanity Checked

The man accused of injuring his ex-wife with a bomb in 1982, then running from the law for 43 years, will have his sanity checked. Stephen Campbell also is accused of stealing $140,000 in Social Security benefits using the name of a dead college classmate.

Clair McFarlandJuly 14, 2025

After being shot and left for dead by Mark Corbett more than 40 years ago, Steve Watt, left, has forgiven Corbett, formerly known as Mark Farnham, and lobbied for decades for his release. Today, after being commuted by Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon in 2023, the two men are committed to sharing their story of forgiveness.

Former Wyoming Cop Forgives Bank Robber Who Shot And Left Him For Dead 43 Years Ago

A bank robber shot a Wyoming cop and left him for dead more than 40 years ago. Now that Mark Corbett is out of prison, former Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Steve Watt says he forgives him and advocates for second chances for other long-term inmates.

Jen KocherJuly 13, 2025

One Dead In Pinedale Shooting, Possible Self-Defense Situation

One person is dead after a shooting Friday in Pinedale, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office reports. Self-defense is being investigated as a possible factor, the sheriff told Cowboy State Daily.

Clair McFarlandJuly 11, 2025

Rock Springs Mother Accused Of Shooting Son In The Neck

A woman could face up to life in prison after Sweetwater County detectives say she shot her son in the neck last month. The mother was arrested Friday, and told authorities her son was going to hit her with a guitar, court documents say.

Clair McFarlandJuly 11, 2025

Douglas Smith faces two counts of first-degree murder for the July 20, 2015, killing of two men at The Coin Shop in downtown Cheyenne.

10 Years After Cheyenne Coin Shop Double Murder, Trial To Begin

Trial begins with jury selection on Monday a decade after the brutal July 20, 2015, murder of two men at The Coin Shop in Cheyenne. The suspect, Douglas Smith, called 911 that day and wasn’t initially a suspect.

Greg JohnsonJuly 11, 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

Green River Man Guilty Of Encouraging Child Into Sex Acts

A jury took about four hours Wednesday to convict a 50-year-old Green River man on multiple counts of child exploitation. William John Duncan was found guilty of encouraging a preteen child into sex acts.

Clair McFarlandJuly 11, 2025

Edmond Berseghian, above, and Zane Marcus Goodwin are two of six people accused of racing high-end luxury sports cars in Grand Teton National Park.

Supercar YouTuber Among 6 Accused Of Racing Luxury Cars In Grand Teton

A YouTuber who features high-priced supercars is one of six people accused of racing luxury cars in Grand Teton National Park last month. The drivers allegedly were racing up to speeds of 111 mph, a park official says.

Clair McFarlandJuly 11, 2025

Wyoming entrepreneur Reid Rasner, left, filed a lawsuit Tuesday against former state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, right, claiming he was defamed and jeopardized his $47.5 billion bid to buy TikTok. He also said China is blocking his group from buying the social media app.

Reid Rasner Sues Anthony Bouchard, Claims He Jeopardized TikTok Deal

Wyoming entrepreneur Reid Rasner filed a lawsuit Tuesday against former state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, claiming he was defamed and jeopardized his reported $47.5 billion bid to buy TikTok.

Clair McFarlandJuly 10, 2025

Two More Girls Say Accused Moorcroft Church Molester Also Touched Them

Two more girls have come forward to say a Moorcroft man accused of molesting little girls also allegedly abused them. Charles Massie, who reportedly confessed to a counselor that “I’m the terrible one,” pleaded not guilty Thursday to nine criminal charges.

Clair McFarlandJuly 10, 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

Murder Charge Filed 2 Years After Man Found On Reservation With Throat Cut

Two years after a man was found dead with his throat cut on the Wind River Reservation, a Riverton man has been charged in his death. John Goodman, 31, was already in prison when evidence surfaced that he killed Gustave Yellowhair with a machete.

Clair McFarlandJuly 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

2 Men Wanted By ICE Arrested In Wyoming With 80 Pounds Of Illegal Drugs

Two men wanted by ICE were arrested by the Wyoming Highway Patrol on Saturday with what authorities identified as 80 pounds of illegal drugs. They also had Ecuadorian passports.

Clair McFarlandJuly 09, 2025

Mary Couch, 70, of Alabama, was identified as the victim in a crash on Interstate 80 outside Rawlins on March 15, 2025.

Ukrainian Trucker Who Killed Another Trucker In Crash Gets 90 Days

A Ukrainian trucker who slid on black ice and crashed into another truck, killing a 70-year-old woman in its sleeper cab, was sentenced Tuesday to 90 days in jail. He also was fined $1,000 under a plea agreement.

Clair McFarlandJuly 09, 2025

Gabriel Seth Rodgers was caught in Mexico and sent back to Wyoming to face drug-related charges. His eyes were blocked out in these photos by Mexican authorities.

Wyoming Drug Cartel Suspect Who Hid Out In Mexico Gets Plea Deal

A Wyoming man suspected in a sprawling cartel conspiracy accepted a plea deal last week, according to his court file. Authorities say the suspect was hiding out in Mexico after years on the run.

Clair McFarlandJuly 08, 2025

Kay Pope's 7-year-old Palomino Blondie shortly before it disappeared from her pasture near Wheatland. Given how horses behave and the fact nobody's seen her missing horse, she believes someone stole the horse and its newborn colt.

Wheatland Woman Says Very Pregnant Palomino Stolen From Pasture

A very pregnant palomino in a Wheatland pasture may have already given birth when she vanished from her 46-acre pasture. The horse’s owner is convinced the horse didn’t just run off, it — and possibly the foal — were stolen.

Andrew RossiJuly 08, 2025

Two women are suing a former Wyoming cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Christopher Stewart, on claims they were left mutilated and disfigured. One suffered with a necrotic, ruptured breast and maggots, the lawsuit says, while another had her infected wound “burst open" at work.

Lawsuit Claims Wyoming Cosmetic Surgeon Left Women Mutilated And Disfigured

Two women are suing a former Wyoming cosmetic surgeon and others on claims they were left mutilated and disfigured. One suffered with a necrotic, ruptured breast and maggots, the lawsuit says, while another had her infected wound “burst open" at work.

Clair McFarlandJuly 08, 2025

Lander Man Gets 25-50 Years For Bludgeoning House Guest To Death

A 40-year-old Lander man was sentenced Monday to 25-50 years in prison for bludgeoning a house guest to death last April. One of the victim’s daughters said deeper societal issues are partly to blame in this case.

Clair McFarlandJuly 08, 2025

A fire thought to have been ignited by fireworks late Friday destroyed the trailer home and storage shed of Dennis Wheeler on Fort Sanders Road, just south of Laramie. Wheeler’s son, Kyle Wheeler, pulled him out just before the entire home went up in flames.

Son Pulls Laramie Man From Blazing Trailer Home Just In Time

A Laramie man pulled his father out of a blazing trailer home with just seconds to spare late Friday. The family suspects it was started by errant fireworks.

Mark HeinzJuly 07, 2025

Former Police Chief Who Tipped Off Girlfriend To Drug Search Gets 9 Days In Jail

The former police chief of Manderson, Wyoming, convicted of interfering with police and shirking his duty will spend nine days in jail and a year on probation, a judge ruled Monday. He was accused of alerting his girlfriend to a drug search.

Clair McFarlandJuly 07, 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

Billings Man Suspected Of Killing Girlfriend Arrested On Riverton Roadside

A Billings, Montana, man suspected of killing his girlfriend was arrested along a road in Riverton on the Fourth of July. He reportedly was lying in front of an RV “yelling” that he had killed his girlfriend, and asking people to call 911.

Clair McFarlandJuly 07, 2025

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak and his deputies spent a week bring back the mounted patrol for parades and events on the streets of Cheyenne.

Laramie County Sheriff Brings Horse Patrol Back To Cheyenne

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak said he hopes reinstating the mounted patrol will bring back authentic Western hospitality and law-and-order during major events in the state capital. “We value our Western culture and heritage in Cheyenne and Laramie County," he said.

Andrew RossiJuly 06, 2025

Gillette Woman In Jail After Allegedly Running Over Boyfriend With SUV

A woman who was trying to drive away from the scene of a verbal argument in Gillette early Saturday ran over her boyfriend in the process, police say. The man was taken to an out-of-state hospital with critical injuries.

Clair McFarlandJuly 05, 2025

Judge Says Rock Springs Woman Accused Of Making Child Porn Has To Stay In Jail

A Green River judge did not hesitate Thursday to deny a woman accused of making child pornography a chance to get out of jail and go to a treatment center. She’s also accused of smuggling meth into jail hidden in a genital orifice.

Clair McFarlandJuly 03, 2025

Summit Fire & Security at 435 N. McKinley in Casper is one of the five locations where a suspected arsonist struck. Employee Jason Thomas said when he arrived at work Thursday morning the grass was smoking around the gas meter behind their business.

Casper Police Looking For Arsonist Who Touched Off Five Fires In 12 Hours

The Casper police are looking for whoever intentionally set five fires around town in less than 12 hours Wednesday night and early Thursday. A man at one of the fire locations said police told him they’re “looking for a dude on a scooter.”

Dale KillingbeckJuly 03, 2025

Multiple agencies responded to a mobile home park at 530 Beaufort St. in Laramie, Wyoming, on July 2, 2025, to a home containing fireworks making materials.

Federal Agents Help ID Explosives That Sparked Evacuation In Laramie Neighborhood

ATF and FBI agents were part of a large response to “potential explosives” in a Laramie home Tuesday that prompted an hourslong evacuation. It turned out to be the fireworks-making materials discovered after the man who lived there died.

Matthew ChristianJuly 03, 2025

Thermopolis Woman Gets 24-30 Months For Stealing $25K From FFA Group

A Thermopolis woman who pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $25,000 from a Future Farmers of America fundraising group was sentenced Wednesday to 24-30 months in prison. Cody Dyan Stewart cheated kids of their scholarships, the group said.

Clair McFarlandJuly 03, 2025

Laramie Homes Evacuated After Materials To Make Fireworks Discovered In House

Several homes in a Laramie mobile home park was evacuated Wednesday as authorities responded to a situation that involved “potential explosives in the area.” Emergency officials say materials to make fireworks were found in a home.

Clair McFarlandJuly 03, 2025

A 74-year-old man will not face charges in the March 8 fatal shooting in a south side of Casper home.

Police Recommend Murder Charge In Casper Shooting, DA Says Not Enough Evidence

A 74-year-old Casper man will not be charged for the shooting death of his daughter’s boyfriend four months ago. The Natrona County District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday it won’t prosecute, citing not enough evidence to justify the charge.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 02, 2025

Jackson Man Accused Of Killing Bicyclist While Driving Drunk Sent To Higher Court

A Jackson man accused of killing a bicyclist and local photographer will be tried in felony-level court, a judge ruled Wednesday. The judge also kept the man’s bond at $300,000 and forbade him from driving if he makes bail.

Clair McFarlandJuly 02, 2025

Brandon "BJ" Kidgell, Manderson, Wyoming, police chief.

Deal For Manderson Police Chief Charged With Helping Girlfriend Avoid Drug Arrest

The former police chief of Manderson, Wyoming, accused of helping his girlfriend avoid a drug arrest has agreed to a plea deal. He’ll get probation and has to give up his policing certification.

Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2025

Judge Green-Lights Off-Label Prescribing Of Abortion Drugs

Lawmakers may have had Ivermectin in mind when they passed a law to safeguard doctors who prescribe off-label. But a judge on Monday ruled that, at least for now, that protection must apply to abortion-inducing drug providers as well.

Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2025

Riverton Man In 130 mph Car Chase Faces Up To 7 Years In Prison

The Riverton man accused of leading Fremont County law enforcement on a 130-mph car chase through a construction zone last week could face up to seven years and 40 days in prison. His preliminary hearing is Tuesday.

Clair McFarlandJune 30, 2025

A Week After Shooting Death Of Pine Bluffs Crop Duster, Friend Still Shocked

A friend and former college rodeo teammate of the Pine Bluffs crop duster who was shot and killed last week says he’s still shocked. He knew Kevin Hefley as a “level-headed guy” who wasn’t one to “fly off the handle.”

Dale KillingbeckJune 30, 2025

Court Gives $15K Back To Man Who Bailed Out Fake Jackson 'Bitcoin Billionaire'

The man who posted a $50,000 bond to free the alleged “Bitcoin Billionaire” scammer from Teton County’s jail can have $15,000 of it back, a judge has ruled. The prosecution argues the suspect's promise to pay the bond back is another of his bogus promises.

Clair McFarlandJune 30, 2025

Chuck Gray Asks Judge To Dismiss Lawsuit Against Proof-Of-Citizenship Voting Law

Secretary of State Chuck Gray on Friday asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit challenging Wyoming’s new proof-of-citizenship voting law. He claims the complaint is brought by “radical left” groups that haven’t shown it could harm them.

Clair McFarlandJune 28, 2025

Supreme Court Upholds Porn Age Verification Days Before Wyo Law Takes Effect

A Supreme Court ruling upholding a Texas law that requires porn websites to verify visitors are adults protects Wyoming’s new age-verification law as well, its sponsor says. “The ruling is a complete win,” says Worland Republican Rep. Martha Lawley.

Clair McFarlandJune 28, 2025

Case Against Star Valley Man In Wife’s Death Proceeds After Contentious Hearing

After a contentious hearing full of objections, debates over court rules and photographs of his injured wife before she died, the manslaughter case against a Star Valley man advanced to District Court on Thursday.

Clair McFarlandJune 27, 2025

Pilot Kevin Hefley was identified as the man shot and killed Tuesday, June 24, 2025, west of Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, the Laramie County Sheriff's Office reports.

Brief: ‘Shooter Has Been Located’ In Killing Of Pine Bluffs Crop Duster

The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday identified the 52-year-old Pine Bluffs crop duster who was shot and killed Tuesday. Little information is being released as the agency investigates, but officials report that “the shooter has been located.”

Dale KillingbeckJune 26, 2025

A bomb squad was called Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in response to what looked like a pipe bomb along Landers Idyllic Popo Agie River walk. The device was X-rayed and determined to be a fake pipe bomb.

Bomb Squad Called For Device Found Near River In Lander — It Was A Fake Pipe Bomb

A bomb squad was called Wednesday to disarm what looked like a pipe bomb along Lander's Popo Agie River. An X-ray image showed the device to be a fake pipe bomb. It's the second time in three months people have found fake explosives in Fremont County.

Clair McFarlandJune 25, 2025

Four Arrested For Drag Racing ‘High-End Luxury Sports Cars’ In Grand Teton Park

Four people were arrested Tuesday, accused of drag racing "multiple high-end luxury sports cars" in Grand Teton National Park. A Wyoming auto writer says that’s foolish, and wonders “what would happen to a Lamborghini if it hit a black bear?”

Clair McFarlandJune 25, 2025

Andrew Nollen, top right, and Erin Kampa.

Drugs Fly Out Window During 40-Mile High-Speed Chase Through Carbon County

A more than 40-mile high-speed chase through Carbon County on Tuesday ended in Saratoga. During the chase, suspected drugs were flying out a window, and the driver and a passenger face felony drug charges.

Jen KocherJune 25, 2025

Wyoming Man Caught In YouTube Child Predator Sting Gets 10 Years

Sean Joseph Brennan of Hudson was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. Brennan was caught by an Internet vigilante who poses as minors to snag child predators.

Matthew ChristianJune 24, 2025

Gillette Man Who Admitted Child Sex Crimes While Applying For Deputy Job Gets Deal

A Gillette man is set to plead guilty to child molestation Monday. Prosecutors say he confessed to the crimes while applying for a job at the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office before he was to take a polygraph test.

Clair McFarlandJune 24, 2025

Cheyenne Teens Accused Of Torching Vacant Home Face Arson Charges

Three Cheyenne teens were charged with arson Monday for allegedly setting four fires inside a vacant home in the northeast part of the city. They and a fourth as-yet uncharged teen were found out after one of them talked about burning the house at school.

Dale KillingbeckJune 24, 2025

Riverton Car Chase Hits 130 MPH, Ends In Rollover

Authorities on Saturday arrested a Riverton man for DUI and felony eluding after he bolted northward through a construction zone, hitting 130 mph in a car chase. Wyoming troopers did a tactical intervention, and the car rolled repeatedly.

Clair McFarlandJune 24, 2025

Riverton Man Who Stole Car With Baby Inside Pleads Guilty

The 29-year-old Riverton man who stole a car with a baby inside in it in February pleaded guilty Friday to one count of felony kidnapping. He faces a sentence of between eight and 10 years in prison or could be sent to a “boot camp” program.

Clair McFarlandJune 23, 2025

Rock Springs County Sheriff’s Office says no arrests have yet been made, but there is a person of interest in a Saturday evening altercation that left a man shot in the neck. An investigation continues, and there’s no threat to the public.

Rock Springs Man Shot In Neck During Weekend Altercation, No Arrests Yet

Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office says no arrests have yet been made, but there is a person of interest in a Saturday evening altercation that left a man shot in the neck. An investigation continues, and there’s no threat to the public.

Clair McFarlandJune 23, 2025

Rural Wyoming sheriffs are under the gun, battling crime with small departments and tiny budgets while tasked to cover huge service areas. They’re now figuring out how to do it with a 25% property tax cut.

Huge Service Areas, Tiny Departments Strain Wyoming’s Rural Law Enforcement

Rural Wyoming law enforcement is under the gun, battling crime with small departments, low pay, and tiny budgets while covering huge service areas. They’re now figuring out how to do it with less money with a new 25% property tax cut.

Jen KocherJune 22, 2025

Utah-based private investigator Jason Jensen and his trained cadaver dog, Lily, head to Moscow, Idaho, to serarch for the K-Bar knife allegedly used by Bryan Kohberger to murder four college students in 2022.

2 Months Before Trial, Search On For Knife Used To Kill 4 Idaho College Students

There’s less than two months before the trial of the man accused of brutally murdering four Idaho college students. A private investigator hopes to recover a key piece of missing evidence this weekend: The knife used to kill them.

Jen KocherJune 21, 2025

Casper Woman Accused Of Shooting At Pregnant Mistress Of Friend’s Husband

A 26-year-old Casper woman faces five charges for allegedly shooting at a woman who claimed she was pregnant by a friend’s husband. She waived her preliminary hearing Thursday, and told police she only wanted to scare the other woman.

Dale KillingbeckJune 20, 2025

Jayden Roccaforte, a 22-year-old Cheyenne man with four national speech championship wins to his name, was arrested Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa, on claims he caused a “disturbance” at the National Speech and Debate tournament that caused the clearing of the event venue.

Cheyenne Man Arrested After Causing Panic At National Speech And Debate Tourney

A 22-year-old Cheyenne man with four national speech championship wins to his name was arrested Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa, on claims he created a panic at the National Speech and Debate tournament that cleared the venue. He faces charges of disorderly conduct and drug possession.

Clair McFarlandJune 20, 2025

A Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper rolled his vehicle Friday morning, June 20, 2025, near Cheyenne while grappling the truck wheel of a homicide suspect who was fleeing Colorado, the local sheriff says.

Wyoming Trooper Rolls Vehicle Stopping Colorado Homicide Suspect

A Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper rolled his vehicle Friday morning near Cheyenne while grappling the truck wheel of a homicide suspect who was fleeing Colorado, the local sheriff says.

Clair McFarlandJune 20, 2025

In ‘Extremely Rare’ Case, Rock Springs Woman Charged With Making Child Porn

In what authorities say is an “extremely rare” case, a Rock Springs woman is facing child pornography charges in Sweetwater County felony court. She’s scheduled to plead Monday on charges she made, delivered and possessed child porn.

Clair McFarlandJune 20, 2025

Star Valley Search and Rescue's jet skis returned to shore after the search and recovery of Joyce Balls, who died after falling into the Snake River Canyon on Wednesday afternoon.

Idaho Woman Dies After 100-Foot Fall Into Snake River Near Alpine

An 89-year-old Idaho woman died Wednesday when she fell 100 feet into the Snake River near Alpine, Wyoming. She was picnicking with family when she “lost her footing,” authorities say. A drone located the woman, who was recovered less than a mile away.

Andrew RossiJune 19, 2025

Brief: Two Gillette Motorcyclists Killed In Head-On Near Wright

Two Gillette men died Wednesday when a work truck collided head-on with both their motorcycles on the highway between Wright and Newcastle. Fatigue for the truck driver is being investigated as the cause of the crash.

Clair McFarlandJune 19, 2025

Cheyenne Man Accused Of Threatening To Play ‘Russian Roulette’ With Women

A 38-year-old Cheyenne man is accused of pulling out a pistol Tuesday, showing it to two women and telling them he was going to play “Russian roulette.” He now faces a felony charge of aggravated assault.

Dale KillingbeckJune 19, 2025

Nathan Pfaff, 19, is accused of shooting 18-year-old Ryan Snow in the head with a .45-caliber handgun. He's being held on $250,000 bond.

Cheyenne Murder A Web Of Conflicting Statements And Admitted Lies

Investigators are trying to piece together how an 18-year-old was murdered just after midnight Friday at a Cheyenne mobile home park. The suspect and witnesses have given a convoluted web of conflicting statements and admitted lies.

Greg JohnsonJune 19, 2025

A Greybull man, Anthony Michael Fuentes, who was the first person in Wyoming to be convicted of manslaughter for selling fentanyl-laced drugs, won’t get a new trial. A judge Wednesday rejected his motion that challenged his plea deal, which got him 15-20 years in prison.

Judge Won’t Overturn Wyoming’s First Fentanyl Manslaughter Conviction

A Greybull man who was the first person in Wyoming to be convicted of manslaughter for selling fentanyl-laced drugs won’t get a new trial. A judge Wednesday rejected a motion that challenged his plea deal, which got him 15-20 years in prison.

Jen KocherJune 19, 2025

Gillette Nursing Home Ignored Signs Of Fatal Overdose, Family Claims In Lawsuit

A Tramadol overdose in November killed Rhonda Parker, 66, who was living at a Gillette assisted living center. Her family sued the care facility Wednesday, claiming caretakers ignored severe signs of her overdose for hours before she died.

Clair McFarlandJune 18, 2025

Man protests outside of the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices hear arguments in a case on gender-change treatments for kids. Washington, D.C.

US Supreme Court Upholds Child Sex-Change Ban That’s Similar To Wyoming’s

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld Tennessee’s ban on medical treatments related to gender changes for kids. That smooths the way for Wyoming's similar ban to survive in federal court, though it's still unclear how it would fare in state court.

Clair McFarlandJune 18, 2025

Casper 19-Year-Old Gets 5-8 Years For Shooting Man In The Back At Park

A Casper 19-year-old was sentenced to 5-8 years in prison Tuesday for a 2024 Fourth of July shooting in a local park. He shot a 47-year-old dad in the back who confronted him about a bottle rocket shot at his children.

Dale KillingbeckJune 17, 2025

Bloody, Beaten Man Found In Wheatland Liquor Store Is Alive, Family Says

A man found bloody and beaten in a shuttered Wheatland liquor store Saturday night is alive, his family says. Meanwhile, a 39-year-old local man was charged Monday with aggravated burglary on the theory he broke into the store to attack the other man.

Clair McFarlandJune 17, 2025

A group of students tour some of the bronze sculptures in the Wyoming Capitol in this file photo.

Parents Suing State Claim Voucher Program Could Alienate Gay, Trans Students

The same judge who ruled against the state of Wyoming on funding public education has been assigned to a lawsuit challenging school vouchers. Some parents in the lawsuit claim vouchers can alienate “queer,” transgender and nonbinary students.

Clair McFarlandJune 17, 2025

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

Drunk Intruder Shot By 85-Year-Old Riverton Man Could Get Probation

A Riverton man who was shot by a homeowner after police said he broke into a home drunk pleaded no contest to unlawful entry last week in Fremont County District Court. He could get probation.

Clair McFarlandJune 16, 2025

19-Year-Old Cheyenne Man Allegedly Argued With 18-Year-Old Before Killing Him

A second-degree murder charge was announced Monday for a 19-year-old Cheyenne man. He’s accused of shooting an 18-year-old when they “had a disagreement” around midnight Friday.

Greg JohnsonJune 16, 2025

Charles “Chuck” Massie, left, and brother Clint Franklin Massie

Brother Of Moorcroft Man Accused Of Touching Girls In Church Did The Same

The brother of a man accused of sexually touching girls in a Moorcroft church was convicted of doing the same in a church in Minnesota. He pleaded guilty to molesting young girls of about the same age in a church of the same denomination.

Clair McFarlandJune 16, 2025

Police Tight-Lipped About Burglary At Wheatland Liquor That ‘Went South’

Wheatland police are tight-lipped about what happened inside a vacant liquor store there overnight Saturday. One person was taken to the hospital, and another was hospitalized briefly then charged with burglary and taken to jail.

Clair McFarlandJune 16, 2025

Cameron Wright, right, is a former University of Wyoming dean who was demoted after a disagreement with UW President Ed Seidel, left. Wright is suing the university asking for his job back.

Demoted Dean Who Fought With UW President Sues To Get Job Back

A University of Wyoming dean who fought with the UW president and was demoted after refusing to move state money earmarked for engineering education filed a lawsuit Thursday to get his position reinstated. He claims the demotion was illegal retaliation.

Clair McFarlandJune 13, 2025

Kelsey Johnson mysteriously disappeared from her Gillette home in April. She's no longer missing after telling police in Denver where she is, but her family and friends are still worried.

Gillette Woman Last Seen Two Months Ago Turns Up In Colorado

A Gillette woman last seen two months ago after mysteriously disappearing from a trailer home in Gillette was located safe in Colorado on Thursday. Even so, her family and friends remain worried for her safety.

Jen KocherJune 13, 2025

Construction progressing on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in Cody, Wyoming, in April.

High Court Hands LDS Church Win On Controversial 101-Foot Cody Temple

The Wyoming Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling Friday, denying a Cody group the chance to challenge the approval of a Latter-day Saints temple. The decision ends two years of controversy over the 101-foot-tall temple in a residential neighborhood.

Clair McFarlandJune 13, 2025

The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office is piecing together what happened in the early morning hours Friday, June 13, 2025, that left a person dead just south of Cheyenne at a mobile home park at 505 Williams St. Sheriff Brian Kozak said two people have been detained and that “this is a homicide investigation.”

Two In Custody After Fatal Shooting South Of Cheyenne

The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office is piecing together what happened in the early morning hours Friday that left a person dead just south of Cheyenne. Sheriff Brian Kozak said two people have been detained and that “this is a homicide investigation.”

Greg JohnsonJune 13, 2025

Prosecutor Adds 78 New Felony Sex Charges On Former Wheatland Band Teacher

A former Wheatland band teacher accused of committing sex acts on a girl younger than 16 now faces another 78 felony charges on claims of near-daily sex acts with a different, 17-year-old student. Between the cases, he could get more than 1,500 years.

Clair McFarlandJune 12, 2025

An Irish woman is suing a Wyoming dude ranch for a vacation gone wrong that left her with a crushed ankle. Her lawsuit claims the injury happened when a guide inadvertently bear-sprayed her horse. The ranch denies any wrongdoing.

Dubois Ranch Denies Wrongdoing After Woman's Foot Crushed By Bear-Sprayed Horse

A Dubois guest ranch in a Tuesday filing denies wrongdoing in a lawsuit of an Irish woman who accuses its lead wrangler of wrongfully bear spraying her horse during a ride, causing her foot to be crushed.

Clair McFarlandJune 12, 2025

Friends Of Gillette Woman Killed By Half-Brother Protest His Self-Defense Claim

Family and friends of a Gillette woman killed by her half-brother in January showed up in force at the Campbell County Courthouse on Wednesday. They were there to protest the man’s self-defense claim.

Jen KocherJune 11, 2025

As the latest example in the growing trend of scams that impersonate state agencies, residents are being targeted by fraudsters posing as the Wyoming Department of Transportation. It’s a fake ticket scheme that highlights how hackers have gotten smarter.

Text Scammers Target Wyomingites Posing As State Agencies

As the latest example in a growing trend of text scams that impersonate state agencies, residents are being targeted by fraudsters posing as the Wyoming Department of Transportation. It’s a fake ticket scheme that highlights how hackers have gotten smarter.

Zakary SonntagJune 11, 2025

Teton County Prosecutor Drops Voyeurism Charge From Carnival Incident

A Teton County prosecutor dropped a charge against a Texas man who was accused of trying to photograph a young girl’s private area during the carnival in Jackson last year. It’s not clear why the charge was dismissed.

Clair McFarlandJune 11, 2025

Gillette Teen Posts Threat To ‘Bomb The Pentagon’ — Pentagon Notices

A Gillette 18-year-old learned that even joking about bombing the Pentagon is a bad idea. He got a visit from local deputies Tuesday night after a Pentagon agent asked them to investigate the teen’s X post that said, “It’s time to bomb the … Pentagon.”

Greg JohnsonJune 11, 2025

Trailer Where Big Piney Man Killed In Bow-And-Arrow Ambush Catches Fire

The trailer in which a 23-year-old Big Piney man was shot and killed in a bow-and-arrow ambush in February caught fire Tuesday afternoon, authorities say. The fire doesn’t appear suspicious, and an investigation continues.

Clair McFarlandJune 11, 2025

'I'm The Terrible One': Moorcroft Man Accused Of Touching Girls During Church

A Moorcroft man faces up to 81 years in prison for the alleged sexual touching of multiple girls during church services more than a decade ago. The suspect confessed to a counselor and told an investigator that, "I'm the terrible one," court records say.

Clair McFarlandJune 10, 2025

Thomas Krogman, a former Gillette high school track coach, said Tuesday that he’ll agree to return to Washington state to face an attempted first-degree murder charge. He’s accused of stabbing his brother-in-law eight times in the lobby of this Motel 6.

Gillette Man To Face Attempted Murder Charge For Stabbing Brother-In-Law 8 Times

A former Gillette high school track coach said Tuesday that he won't fight extradition to Washington state to face an attempted first-degree murder charge. He’s accused of stabbing his brother-in-law eight times.

Jen KocherJune 10, 2025

A series of mysterious clues hasn’t done much to point out to police or family what happened to 53-year-old James Galloway of Sheridan, who has been missing nearly a month. He typically calls his daughter daily, but hasn’t since April 30 and missed her graduation Sunday.

Still No Sign Of Missing Sheridan Man After Two-Day Search With Cadaver Dogs

There’s still no sign of a Sheridan man who went missing more than a month ago. A two-day weekend search that included five K-9 teams and cadaver dogs turned up no new clues.

Jen KocherJune 10, 2025

Laramie County Deputies Can Investigate ICE Cases Under Federal Agreement

The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office has empowered three jail deputies to conduct immigration investigations in coordination with federal authorities. It's the latest development in a larger trend of Wyoming sheriffs forging agreements with ICE.

Clair McFarlandJune 10, 2025

Three Women Left In Lawsuit Against Sorority Over UW Transgender Member

Three women renewed their lawsuit against a sorority Monday over a transgender member allowed in its Wyoming chapter. Seven women sued in 2023, one dropped out, and now three remain after an appeals court kicked it back to the lower court.

Clair McFarlandJune 09, 2025

Wife Of Suspected Fort Bridger Killer Not Guilty Of Helping Him Cover It Up

The wife of a man charged with killing another man in Fort Bridger last year said she was “scared” when she threw out the gun involved in the shooting. She talked to Cowboy State Daily on Monday, days after a jury found her not guilty of trying to help him cover it up.

Clair McFarlandJune 09, 2025

At least 15 Union Pacific railcars derailed Monday morning June 9, 2025, near Walcott Junction in central Carbon County, Wyoming, prompting responses from law enforcement, the railroad and the local power cooperative.

At Least 15 Union Pacific Railcars Off The Tracks At Walcott Junction

At least 15 Union Pacific railcars derailed Monday near Walcott Junction in central Carbon County, Wyoming, prompting responses from law enforcement, the railroad and the local power cooperative.

Clair McFarlandJune 09, 2025

Wyoming Supreme Court Kicks Cheyenne Hospital Lawsuit Back To Lower Court

The Wyoming Supreme Court on Thursday granted Cheyenne Regional Medical Center’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit over a little girl's death. The ruling sends the lawsuit against the hospital back down to district court.

Justin GeorgeJune 05, 2025

Attempted Murder Charge For Gillette Man Accused Of Stabbing Brother-In-Law

A former Gillette coach and driver’s ed teacher was arrested Wednesday, accused of driving to Washington state and stabbing his brother-in-law multiple times. He’s wanted there on an attempted first-degree murder charge.

Jen KocherJune 05, 2025

Rock River Man Arrested After Trying To Silence Rooster With A Shotgun

The Albany County Sheriff's Office on Thursday arrested a man for outstanding warrants in Rock River while responding to a "shots fired" call. The man was trying to silence a rooster with a shotgun at 6:18 a.m. The rooster escaped unscathed.

Andrew RossiJune 05, 2025

The Platte County Sheriff's Office and jail in Wheatland, Wyoming.

Judge Dismisses Suit Of Wheatland Man Who Suffered Brain Damage In Jail

A federal judge dismissed the case of a Wheatland man who sued Platte County Sheriff’s Deputies for sending him to jail rather than the hospital despite his 0.357% blood-alcohol content. The man suffered a seizure and subsequent brain damage, court documents say.

Clair McFarlandJune 05, 2025

Bitcoin Depot has 45 bitcoin ATMs across Wyoming, including 11 in Cheyenne. This one is in a Loaf 'N Jug store on East Lincolnway.

Scammers Using Bitcoin ATMs To Steal Thousands From Wyomingites

A Jackson man scammed out of $7,500 wasn’t as lucky as a 78-year-old Gillette woman who narrowly avoided being taken for $22,000 at a bitcoin ATM on Saturday. Bitcoin is as easy to steal as cash, an expert says.

Greg JohnsonJune 04, 2025

Jennifer Renee Fahrney and Richard Allen Turner

Rock Springs Couple Accused Of Having Orgies With Teen To Plead No Contest

A Rock Springs man is facing life while his girlfriend could spend 35 years in prison after both agreed to plead no contest to charges that they had orgies and committed other sexual abuse with a teenager for more than a year.

Clair McFarlandJune 04, 2025

Karla Smith shown recovering after she was stabbed in the back by her son. The family raised money for her medical bills by raffling off the son's pigs.

Campbell County Teen Who Stabbed Mom, Prompting Pig Raffle, Pleads Guilty

A Campbell County man faces 20 years to life in prison after he pleaded guilty last week to stabbing his mother in the back while she slept. To cover the cost of the $67,000 air ambulance ride, the family raffled off the man's pigs.

Clair McFarlandJune 03, 2025

Torrington Man Who Brutally Beat Ex As She Held Toddler Gets 20-25 Years

A Torrington man was sentenced to 20-25 years for the beating of his ex-girlfriend last year. She was holding the couple’s toddler when she was attacked. Also part of Andrew Atkinson's sentence was a strangulation charge pertaining to a different woman.

Clair McFarlandJune 02, 2025

North Dakota Woman Accused Of Stabbing Man In Neck While Driving

A North Dakota woman is facing attempted second-degree murder charges after Campbell County Sheriff's Investigators say she stabbed a driver twice in the neck. The woman was on her way to Las Vegas when the stabbing happened.

Jen KocherJune 02, 2025

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center has challenged a lawsuit from the family of a 7-year-old girl, who died after being misdiagnosed, claiming no liability because the doctors were contractors.

Wyoming Supreme Court Considers Whether Cheyenne Hospital Liable For Girl’s Death

Cheyenne Regional Medical Center has challenged a lawsuit from the family of a 7-year-old girl, who died after being misdiagnosed. The hospital claims it has no liability because the doctors and nurses involved were contractors.

Justin GeorgeMay 30, 2025

Body Cam Video Shows Casper Woman Pointing Gun At Cops Before She Was Killed

A Casper woman opened her door with a gun in hand and raised it at police officers before she was shot and killed, according to Casper Police Department body cam video released Friday. “Where the **** are my children!” she screamed as she raised the gun.

Clair McFarlandMay 30, 2025

Gene Clemetson in a June 2024 file photo.

Judge Dismisses Man's Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against Cheyenne PD

A judge last week dismissed a lawsuit of an African American man who claims racial discrimination and physical aggression during a traffic stop by Cheyenne Police Department officers. He said they accused him of driving drunk when he'd had "not a drop."

Clair McFarlandMay 30, 2025

He Almost Fell For It: Cheyenne Business Owner Exposes High School Sports Team Scam

The owner of a Cheyenne coffee shop almost fell for it, nearly buying a $310 sponsorship of a local high school sports team. But in checking out Elite Sports, he exposed it as a probable scam, even if a company rep insists it’s not.

Jen KocherMay 30, 2025

Husband Charged Six Months After Wife Found Dead In Their Star Valley Home

A Lincoln County man was arrested Tuesday after a six-month investigation into his wife's death. He's accused of attacking her during a drunken argument. The woman had secluded herself in her room after texting a friend that her husband had beaten her.

Clair McFarlandMay 30, 2025

Paul Ailport was sentenced on Feb. 13, 2025, to 110 years at the Montana State Prison for attempting to commit homicide using his truck, explosive fuel, fireworks and a 13.5-foot steel beam. After he was allowed to withdraw his plea, a jury took 38 minutes to convict Ailport in a May trial.

Jury Takes 38 Minutes To Convict Montana Man Who Firebombed Neighbor With Truck

It took a jury 38 minutes to convict a Montana man who transformed his pickup into a firebomb on wheels. He drove it into his neighbor’s house in a deliberate attempt to kill.

David MadisonMay 30, 2025

Homeless Man Accused Of Stabbing In Bar Nunn After Bear-Sprayed During Fight

A 50-year-old homeless man pleaded not guilty Friday in Natrona County District Court to stabbing a 57-year-old Casper man. The violent confrontation included the suspect allegedly wielding a pipe, having several knives and getting bear-sprayed.

Dale KillingbeckMay 30, 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 Gets 6-12 Years For Drunken Fight That Killed Cousin

A Fremont County man was sentenced Thursday to between six and 12 years in prison for drunkenly beating his cousin to death last March. “I was robbed,” wailed the mother of the victim during the court proceeding.

Clair McFarlandMay 29, 2025

Cody Mom Accused Of Seeking Hit Man To Murder Daughter’s Boyfriend Deemed Sane

A murder trial is set for August for a Cody woman accused of trying to have her daughter’s boyfriend killed. A judge ruled that Wendy Coe, whose last trial derailed when she asked for a mental health evaluation, is mentally fit to stand trial.

Clair McFarlandMay 29, 2025

Former Laramie High Schooler’s Lawsuit Over Masking Tossed For Second Time

A federal judge Wednesday dismissed the lawsuit of a former Laramie High School student who sued her local school district on claims that a 2021 mask mandate was unconstitutional. She was handcuffed and arrested on campus for refusing to comply with it.

Clair McFarlandMay 29, 2025

Child Porn Charges For Cheyenne Man Accused Of Sharing Videos Of Young Girls

A 27-year-old Cheyenne man who has an online handle of “the punk skater” faces child pornography charges. Court documents made available Tuesday say he allegedly had images and videos of young girls engaging in sexual acts with adults and an animal.

Dale KillingbeckMay 28, 2025

Cheyenne Man Repeatedly Put Gun To Teen’s Head Prior To Shooting, Court Records Say

A 21-year-old Cheyenne man repeatedly pulled a handgun from his waistband and put it to a 16-year-old boy’s head before shooting, according to court records. The man initially told investigators the discharge was a “fluke thing.”

Dale KillingbeckMay 28, 2025

Jackson Hole Fire EMS Station 1 Getty 5 28 25

Responders ‘Valiantly’ Tried To Save Man Who Died In Teton County Cabin Fire

The lone occupant of a cabin in Teton County was found dead early Wednesday morning after the cabin caught fire, authorities say. A sheriff’s deputy tried to rescue 28-year-old Rollie Wells Knori, but the fire and smoke wouldn’t let the deputy inside.

Clair McFarlandMay 28, 2025

Prosecutor: More Charges Coming For Former Wheatland Teacher Accused In Sex Case

A former Wheatland teacher accused of sex crimes against a girl under 16 is expected to be charged in another criminal case involving a second alleged victim, a prosecutor said Wednesday. A judge also chose to keep Evan Whitt Bradley's bond at $500,000.

Clair McFarlandMay 28, 2025

Judge Blocks Trump's 'Egregious' Order Against Wyoming Tribe's Lawyers

A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s order that sought to punish a law firm that represents the Northern Arapaho Tribe. The firm worked with someone who investigated Trump and supports causes he deems un-American.

Clair McFarlandMay 28, 2025

Gillette Man Guilty Of Exposing Genitalia To Kindergartener In Store Bathroom

A Gillette man could face up to 12 years in prison after being found guilty of exposing his genitalia to a 5-year-old boy in a Walmart bathroom. The jury convicted him last week after a three-day trial.

Clair McFarlandMay 27, 2025

Gabriel Lee Testerman, serving 10-15 years in prison for raping his then-girlfriend in 2021 won’t get a new trial, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Friday. Among other claims, he challenged testimony about his “unconventional sexual fetishes.”

No New Trial For Wyoming Trooper Who Raped Girlfriend

A Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper serving 10-15 years in prison for raping his then-girlfriend in 2021 won’t get a new trial, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Friday. Among other claims, he challenged testimony about his “unconventional sexual fetishes.”

Clair McFarlandMay 27, 2025

Cheyenne Man Charged With Shooting Teen In Head While ‘Mishandling’ Handgun

A 21-year-old Cheyenne man was arrested Friday and in court Tuesday, more than two weeks after a 16-year-old was shot in the head. The Natrona County Sheriff’s Office reports both were “mishandling firearms and pointing loaded handguns at one another.”

Dale KillingbeckMay 27, 2025

Mysterious Clues Baffle Police, Family Of Sheridan Man Missing Nearly A Month

A series of mysterious clues hasn’t done much to point police or family to what happened to a 53-year-old Sheridan man missing nearly a month. He typically calls his daughter daily, but hasn’t since April 30 and missed her graduation Sunday.

Jen KocherMay 27, 2025

K-9 officer in training Barry catches up with a "bad guy," going for a sensitive area.

Collar Of Duty: Training Police K-9s To Serve And Protect Is No Walk In The Park

Getting K-9 officers up to snuff is no walk in the park, as a new class of canine cadets training with the Casper Police Department is learning. These dogs have become an essential asset in the work of interdiction as narcotics hit communities across Wyoming.

Zakary SonntagMay 25, 2025

Kelsey Johnson left Gillette in a pickup with a man April 14 and has not been seen since. Her family grows more desperate to find the 32-year-old, who has been traced to Colorado.

Family Grows Desperate To Find Gillette Woman Missing More Than A Month

Kelsey Johnson left Gillette in a pickup with a man April 14 and has not been seen since. Her family is growing more desperate to find the 32-year-old, who has been traced to Colorado. "There are no words. It’s devastating,” her father said.

Jen KocherMay 24, 2025

Twice-Deported Man Accused Of Running 18,000 Rounds Of Ammo Still At Large

Federal authorities said Thursday they’re still seeking a twice-deported Mexican national accused of hauling 18,000 rounds of ammunition through Wyoming. He was released on bond in March, then didn’t show for his April 25 court hearing.

Clair McFarlandMay 24, 2025

Rock Springs Couple Who Lost Gender Transition Lawsuit Against School District Appeals

The Rock Springs couple lost a lawsuit claiming their local school district was hiding their daughter’s gender transition from them. They filed an appeal Friday to a higher court.

Clair McFarlandMay 23, 2025

It’s 'Not Unique' For Criminals To Raid Crime Lab Shipments, DCI Chief Says

A Rawlins UPS worker has pleaded guilty to a felony for stealing drugs and other evidence destined for the Wyoming State Crime Lab. Having evidence stolen during transit is “not unique,” the state Division of Criminal Investigation chief told legislators this week.

Clair McFarlandMay 23, 2025

Couple Sues Teton County, Calls $24,000 Homebuilding Fee ‘Extortion’

A couple who paid a $24,325 fee to Teton County government to build a home on property they already owned is suing, calling the charge “extortion.” The fee also is an unconstitutional “taking” without compensation, the lawsuit claims.

Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2025

Oregon Pilot Convicted Of Felony For Hitting Yellowstone Flagger With Jeep

A federal jury convicted a 67-year-old pilot from Oregon on Wednesday for shoving a flagger in Yellowstone National Park backward with his Jeep during a construction delay. He could get up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for the felony.

Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2025

A Massachusetts-based federal judge on Thursday, May 22, 2025, blocked the president’s two-month-old executive order slashing the U.S. Department of Education in half. The ruling also reinstates terminated department employees.

Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Deep Cuts To Department Of Education

A Massachusetts-based federal judge on Thursday blocked the president’s 2-month-old executive order slashing the U.S. Department of Education in half. The ruling also reinstates terminated department employees.

Clair McFarlandMay 22, 2025

Judge Removes Psychologist From Case Of Sheridan Man Accused In Mother's Death

A psychologist in the case of a Sheridan man accused of murdering his mother, voiced concerns that Israel Melvin was not fit to stand trial. A judge in the case dismissed the evaluator, saying he did not conduct the right test - which was whether the man was insane when his mother died.

Clair McFarlandMay 21, 2025

Laramie County Sheriff with the mugshot of Vance Aulis, 60, of Cheyenne, who got himself into more trouble when he was overheard on a jail phone arranging to have a stash of meth taken out of his car.

Cheyenne Man Caught On Call From Jail Trying To Arrange To Move His Meth Stash

A Cheyenne man learned the hard way last week that jailhouse calls are monitored when he was caught trying to arrange to have his meth stash moved. It’s an example of “meth around and find out,” said Sheriff Brian Kozak.

Greg JohnsonMay 20, 2025

Drunk Montana Man Trying To Impress Girls Caught Climbing On Jackson Antler Arch

A drunk Montana man was reportedly trying to impress girls by climbing on one of the famous antler arches at the town square in Jackson, Wyoming. He got a $100 ticket, and his dumb deed posted to social media.

Andrew RossiMay 19, 2025

Jordan Jackson, left, died after he was sold fentanyl-laced drugs by Anthony Fuentes, right. Fuentes was given 15-20 years in prison for manslaughter in Jackson's death.

Drug Dealer Wants His Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Conviction Overturned

A Greybull man convicted of manslaughter for dealing the fentanyl pills that led to another man’s fatal 2023 overdose now says he got bad advice. He wants his 15- to 20-year prison sentence overturned and another chance at trial or a new plea deal.

Clair McFarlandMay 19, 2025

Perhaps it’s the trusting nature of Wyomingites that make them vulnerable to internet scams. The FBI reports that scammers stole more than $43 million from Wyoming in 2024, 230% more than 2023. That makes Wyoming third per capita for losing money to scams.

Only 2 Other States Taken By Online Scammers More Than Wyoming, FBI Says

Perhaps it’s the trusting nature of Wyomingites that make them prone to internet scams. The FBI reports that scammers stole more than $43 million from Wyoming in 2024, 230% more than 2023. That makes Wyoming third per capita for losing money to scams.

Jen KocherMay 19, 2025

‘Unknown Male’ Steals Ambulance From Riverton Hospital, Escapes On Reservation

An "unknown male" stole an ambulance parked in front of a Riverton emergency room early Sunday. He fled onto the reservation, hitting a couple law enforcement vehicles, then escaped on foot.

Clair McFarlandMay 18, 2025

Seth Uptain walked out of a Casper church 15 years ago and has never been seen again. The Mills, Wyoming, man’s disappearance remains a mystery that’s frustrated family, friends and local police.

Mills Man Walked Out Of Church 15 Years Ago And Never Made It Home

Seth Uptain walked out of a Casper church 15 years ago and never made it home, leaving behind his wallet and belongings. The Mills, Wyoming, man’s disappearance remains a mystery that’s frustrated family, friends and local police.

Jen KocherMay 17, 2025

Fort Larmie, Wyoming, Police Chief Michael Evan Staiger is facing criminal charges for allegedly lying to get a vehicle title. His case started with a stop by a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper driving a car with the wrong license plate.

Fort Laramie Police Chief Charged With Lying On Car Title

The police chief of Fort Laramie is facing criminal charges for allegedly lying to get a vehicle title. His case started with a stop by a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper while driving a car with the wrong license plate.

Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2025

Hansjörg Wyss, an 89-year-old Teton County, Wyoming billionaire is being sued in a California court. He’s accused of repeatedly propositioning a woman and her husband who worked for his company to have orgies with him.

Lawsuit Claims Wyoming Billionaire, 89, Propositioned Employees For Orgies

Hansjörg Wyss, an 89-year-old Teton County billionaire is being sued in a California court. He’s accused of repeatedly propositioning a woman and her husband who worked for his company to have orgies with him.

Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2025

Paul Allen Hilburn, 72, pleaded guilty to one stabbing charge in Natrona County District Court on May 16, 2025, in exchange for a second stabbing charge as well as a domestic battery charge being dropped.

Casper Man Who Said One Of Two People He Stabbed Was An Accident Pleads Guilty

A 72-year-old Casper man pleaded guilty Friday to stabbing a 41-year-old man in exchange for dropping a second charge for also stabbing a woman. He told police stabbing the woman was an accident.

Dale KillingbeckMay 16, 2025

Royse Mora-Fernandez is a Mexican illegal immigrant that U.S. Customs and Enforcement picked up in Bar Nunn, Wyoming, during an operation Thursday, May 15, 2025.

ICE Arrests Wanted Illegal Mexican National In Casper Operation

ICE officers met with other federal agents just before 4 a.m. Thursday in Casper to plan the arrest of a wanted illegal Mexican National. In what the agency calls the first Wyoming ICE ride-along it knows of, Cowboy State Daily documented the operation.

Clair McFarlandMay 16, 2025

Two Casper men — Karlin Carlson, left, and Dallas Dickinson — faced consequences Wednesday after an evening with liquor, marijuana and a weapon turned into a police response.

Casper Man, Drinking With Friend, Accused Of Pointing Loaded Pistol At Girls

A 20-year-old Casper man is accused of pointing a loaded 10 mm pistol at a group of three girls at a local skate park Tuesday. He was in court Wednesday, along with a friend he was allegedly drinking with at the time.

Dale KillingbeckMay 15, 2025

Oscar Espinoza Duarte pleaded guilty Thursday to four of six federal charges against him stemming from methamphetamine distribution on the Wind River Reservation.

Man With ‘Probable’ Mexican Cartel Ties Admits Dealing Meth On Wyoming Reservation

A Mexican national who admits being in the U.S. illegally and “probable” cartel ties has admitted dealing meth on Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation. It was part of a plea deal entered Thursday in U.S. District Court in Casper.

Dale KillingbeckMay 15, 2025

Andrew Barrett appeared via video screen in Casper Circuit Court from the Natrona County Jail. During his appearance he barked, made animal noises, put his fingers into a pistol-like gesture and calmly answered the judge.

Casper Serial Biter Who Barks Like A Dog Nearly Takes Off Tip Of Deputy’s Finger

A 39-year-old Casper man nearly bit off the tip of a deputy’s finger during his Tuesday arrest. Deemed a “serial biter” by prosecutors, he also barked like a dog during his initial court appearance Wednesday.

Dale KillingbeckMay 15, 2025

30,000 Candles Burn For Sheridan Police Officer, 147 Others Killed In 2024

Sheridan police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee was one of 148 U.S. law officers killed in the line of duty in 2024. They were honored by an estimated 30,000 people at a Tuesday candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C., including the Wyoming delegation.

Grace HansenMay 15, 2025

Meanwhile, the family of Bernard Anicio, killed in a May 11, 2025, shooting, is pleading for local young people to “put the guns away.”

‘Put The Guns Away’ Pleads Family Of Casper Man Killed In Shootout

Casper authorities expect to file charges related to a Sunday night shooting involving the “mishandling” of a gun. Meanwhile, the family of a man killed in a separate Sunday shooting is pleading for local young people to “put the guns away.”

Dale KillingbeckMay 14, 2025

Bridget Hill Wyoming Supreme Court 2 5 14 25

Bridget Hill Will Conflict Out Of About Half Of Wyoming Supreme Court Cases

It will be six to nine months before the Wyoming Supreme Court’s newest justice can participate fully. That’s because Bridget Hill, who will soon be sworn in as a justice, has represented the state on at least half the appeals the high court is hearing.

Clair McFarlandMay 14, 2025

Mom Accused Of Giving Guns To Sheridan Cop-Killer Gets Plea Agreement

The mother of a man who killed a Sheridan police sergeant in February 2024, has a plea agreement with prosecutors over allegations she gave her son guns. The public can't see her plea since the federal authorities for Wyoming keeps those private.

Clair McFarlandMay 14, 2025

Montana Man Steals Shotgun, Ammo And Body Armor From Cop Cars

A 28-year-old man will spend three years in prison for his 10-day crime spree vandalizing and robbing law enforcement vehicles in Billings, Montana. Among the stuff he stole was a shotgun, ammunition and body armor.

David MadisonMay 14, 2025

Bailey Bettinson, above, and Tevin Medina.

Evanston Couple Get 6 Months For Child Abuse In Death Of Baby Found In Filth

An Evanston couple got six months in jail Tuesday for child abuse after the death of their 9-month-old. The sentence comes after a prosecutor conceded there wasn’t enough evidence that their filthy home or neglect associated with it killed the baby.

Clair McFarlandMay 13, 2025

Remains Found By Construction Workers In Cheyenne Field 7 Months Ago Identified

The remains of a man found by construction workers in a field just south of Cheyenne last October have been identified as Roy Arthur Moates of Laramie County. The discovery of his human remains prompted a two-day, 50-person search of the field.

Clair McFarlandMay 13, 2025

Welcome to Wright J Stephen Conn via Flickr 11 7 24

Wright Woman Accused Of Torturing Man For Three Days Pleads Insanity

A Wright woman accused of taping a man to a chair and torturing him for three days has entered an insanity plea. She claims in a court filing last week that she had “extreme paranoia” at the time.

Clair McFarlandMay 12, 2025

Matthew Nick Leslie has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges stemming from the discovery of more than 30,000 files of child pornography in his posession.

Casper Man Accused Of Having 30,000 Child Porn Files Pleads Guilty

A 48-year-old Casper man pleaded guilty Monday to eight charges involving child porn, including images involving sadomasochism and bestiality. He was accused of having more than 30,000 files of child porn and will get a maximum 16-year sentence.

Dale KillingbeckMay 12, 2025

Thirteen Bozeman police officers were caught playing games of “Crime Bingo,” the department reported. The customized bingo cards included incidents to check off during traffic stops, like “arrest 2 people” or “butt-ass naked.”

‘Crime Bingo’ Results In 9 Montana Felony Cases Being Thrown Out

Nine felony cases connected to Bozeman, Montana, police officers playing “Crime Bingo” have been tossed by the local county attorney. The arrests could be tainted by the potential for officers to make them based on the game.

David MadisonMay 12, 2025

Foxhill Apartments Building 23 was the scene of an incident that left two people shot Sunday evening, May 11, 2025.

Casper Woman Heard Gunshots, Opened Apartment Door To Find Body At Her Feet

A woman living in an apartment complex in Casper said she heard gunshots in the apartment above hers Sunday night and a plea for someone to call 911. She ran to the door of her building to find the body of a masked man at her feet.

Dale KillingbeckMay 12, 2025

The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority house in Laramie, Wyoming.

Court Gives Sorority Women 30-Day Deadline In Lawsuit Over Wyoming Trans Member

A Wyoming-based federal judge is giving the women suing their sorority for inducting a Wyoming transgender member 30 days to re-file their lawsuit or give up the case. The women's attorney told Cowboy State Daily they plan to refile the case.

Clair McFarlandMay 12, 2025

Police cars idle outside of Foxhill Apartments in the 1900 block of South Missouri Avenue. Two persons were transported to Banner Wyoming Medical Center with gunshot wounds.

Casper Police Investigating Two Separate Shootings Sunday Night

Casper police on Sunday are investigating two unrelated shootings involving two victims at one scene and one at another. All three have been taken to the hospital

Dale KillingbeckMay 12, 2025

Today, at age 74, Wyoming native Richard Pitt is at work on a memoir about his adrenaline-fueled life smuggling drugs for the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s and his adventures as a skydiver, Vietnam veteran and commercial airline pilot who also spent decades in prison for his crimes.

Richard Pitt: Wyoming Pilot And Vietnam Vet Who Smuggled Drugs For Pablo Escobar

Richard Pitt grew up in Thermopolis and lived a life straight out of 1980s drug-running movies like “Scarface.” Decades later, he’s coming clean while also divulging details of his sordid career smuggling for the likes of Pablo Escobar.

Jen KocherMay 11, 2025

Laramie County Man Gets Four Years For Mercy-Killing Friend

A Laramie County man was sentenced Friday to four years in prison, for mercy-killing his friend. Court documents say Switzer's friend had a pending criminal case for child pornography, had just increased his life insurance policy and made other end-of-life arrangements.

Clair McFarlandMay 11, 2025

Wyoming Hasn't Executed Anyone In 33 Years, But It's Tried

It's been 33 years since Wyoming Gov. Mike Sullivan stood in his office next to his priest, warring with himself over the execution of convicted serial killer Mark Hopkinson. The state hasn't executed anyone since that day — but it's tried.

Clair McFarlandMay 10, 2025

Teen Who Stabbed 14-Year-Old At Casper Mall Pleads Guilty To First-Degree Murder

The teen who killed a Casper 14-year-old at a local mall last year pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree murder. Bobby Maher was protecting his girlfriend when he was attacked by two other teens, one who held him down while the other stabbed him.

Dale KillingbeckMay 09, 2025

Marquis Hayman was arrested for shooting five bullets into a North Durbin Street mobile home in August.

8-10 Years For Casper Teen Who Said ‘I Hope I Killed One’ After Shooting At Homes

A 15-year-old boy who shot into two Casper homes in separate incidents August got eight to 10 years in prison Friday. He reportedly told friends, “I hope I killed one.”

Dale KillingbeckMay 09, 2025

'Poor' Chance Of Settlement In Jackson Hospital Lawsuit Over Gangrene Death

A lawsuit brought against a Jackson-based hospital over the gangrene death of an illegal immigrant has a “poor” chance of reaching a settlement, according to a Thursday filing in the case.

Clair McFarlandMay 09, 2025

Wrong-Way Driver Shuts Down I-90 With Claim Of Bomb In Vehicle

A Gillette man drove the wrong way on Interstate 90 three times Thursday as he led law enforcement on a 70-95 mph chase. He then claimed there was a bomb in his vehicle, but it turned out to be a possibly drug-induced perception of loose and exposed wires.

Clair McFarland & Jen KocherMay 09, 2025

Feds Don't Believe Sheridan Cop Killer Stole Guns From His Mom

A federal prosecutor Wednesday voiced skepticism of a Wyoming woman’s claims that her son stole her guns before he killed a Sheridan police sergeant in February 2024. She’s accused of buying the guns for her son, who is a convicted felon.

Clair McFarlandMay 08, 2025

Men Accused Of Dumping Wyoming Oil Field Waste In Utah Face Multiple Felonies

A pair of oil field waste haulers are accused of trying to cut corners and pocket more money by dumping Wyoming oil field waste near a town in Utah. They face multiple felony charges.

David MadisonMay 08, 2025

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.

Man Accused Of Trashing Kinnear Post Office Faces Less Time Under Federal Charge

Federal charges against the man arrested on suspicion of trashing the Kinnear post office may mean a lighter sentence compared to state charges. His case was moved to federal court Monday.

Clair McFarlandMay 07, 2025

Gillette resident Kelsey Johnson, 32, was last seen April 14 getting into a pickup at a mobile home in Denver, and her best friend is afraid for her safety. Johnson is believed to be in the Denver or Greeley area.

Friend Of Gillette Woman Missing More Than Two Weeks Fears For Her Safety

Gillette resident Kelsey Johnson, 32, was last seen April 14 getting into a pickup at a mobile home in Gillette, and her best friend is afraid for her safety. Johnson is believed to be in the Denver or Greeley area.

Jen KocherMay 07, 2025

Casper Police Say Woman Shot By Officers Answered Door With Weapon In Hand

A woman shot and killed by Casper police may have lured officers to her house and provoked the shooting, Casper police reported Wednesday. She called 911 to report a burglar, but apparently “made the call to elicit the response.”

Dale KillingbeckMay 07, 2025

Thermopolis Police Sergeant Who Triggered Fatal Shootout 2 Years Ago Resigns

The Thermopolis town council accepted the resignation of police Sgt. Mike Mascorro on Tuesday evening. Mascorro broke into a man’s home and triggered a fatal shootout two years ago. The man’s family sued Mascorro and the department last week.

Clair McFarlandMay 07, 2025

Moorcroft, Wyoming, resident Michael Hammond Jr. was picked up in Nebraska after allegedly beating his wife. During the ordeal, she reportedly got her hands on a knife and stabbed him to end an hours-long beating.

Man Who Fled Wyoming After Wife Stabbed Him Gets Plea Agreement In Beating

A Moorcroft man accused of nearly killing his wife has agreed to plead "no contest" to two counts of aggravated assault. Michael Hammond Jr. was stabbed by his wife after he launched what court documents say was a brutal and prolonged attack on her.

Clair McFarlandMay 07, 2025

Three 2024 University of Wyoming volleyball players are plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging a transgender player on the San Jose State University team.

Judge Says UW Athletes Suing Over Trans Player Can’t Appeal His Pronoun Rule

A Colorado federal judge has denied a group of female college athletes, including three from the University of Wyoming, a chance to appeal his transgender pronoun usage rule. They also can’t challenge his involvement in the case.

Clair McFarlandMay 06, 2025

Sweetwater county and sheriffs car 5 5 25

Prosecutor Says Teen Girl Accused In Bonfire Shooting Has Biker Gang Ties

A prosecutor's recent court filing says a 16-year-old girl accused of shooting two men in Sweetwater County should be tried as an adult, pointing to her suspected ties to an outlaw motorcycle gang. Her next court hearing is May 14.

Clair McFarlandMay 05, 2025

The May 2025 conviction of long-haul trucker Clark Perry Baldwin for murdering a women in Tennessee clears the way for his return to Wyoming for trial. His DNA has linked Baldwin to two cold-case murders in the early 1990s.

Accused Serial Killer Trucker Convicted In Tennessee, Now Headed To Wyoming For Trial

The Friday conviction of long-haul trucker Clark Perry Baldwin for murdering a woman in Tennessee clears the way for his return to Wyoming for trial. His DNA has linked Baldwin to two cold-case murders in the early 1990s.

Clair McFarlandMay 05, 2025

Jody Renee Cobia was shot and killed by Casper police during a response to a report of a burglary in her home April 28, 2025.

3 Casper Police Officers Remain On Leave After Woman Shot On Burglary Call

Three police officers remain on leave a week after a local woman was shot and killed during a burglary call, the Caper Police Department confirmed Monday. Meanwhile, the Division of Criminal Investigation says it’s investigating.

Dale KillingbeckMay 05, 2025

Parent Of Powell Teen Finds Stolen Highway Sign In Garage, Turns Son In

Teens stealing road signs isn’t unusual, but catching the culprits and getting the signs back is. Within 20 minutes of posting the theft of a large sign at the Buffalo Bill Dam tunnel, a teen boy from Powell was turned in by a parent.

Andrew RossiMay 04, 2025

John Lusch, 45, lived in Rock Springs and Saratoga before moving to Marshall, Michigan, five years ago, where he worked as a tow truck driver. He was murdered in what police are calling an ambush on Easter, April 20, 2025, and his killer remains at large.

Manhunt On After Murder Of Wyoming Man Shot In Michigan On Easter

John Lusch grew up in Rock Springs and Saratoga before moving to Michigan five years ago. A tow truck driver, he was shot and killed on Easter attempting to collect on a car sale. Police have identified four suspects and his mom thinks she knows who did it.

Jen KocherMay 03, 2025

Man Accused Of Stealing $14 Million In Gold And Silver Strikes Plea Deal

A Las Vegas man accused of stealing about $14 million in gold and silver from a relative’s home in Lincoln County, Wyoming, pleaded no contest this week to one count of felony theft.

Clair McFarlandMay 03, 2025

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

Wyoming Supreme Court Gives State, Not Teton County, The Win On Glamping Lease

The state of Wyoming can authorize two businesses to operate on state lands in Teton County — despite the county’s land use regulations — the Wyoming Supreme Court has ruled. That's because the state lands board authorized the business using a temporary use permit, not a long-term lease.

Clair McFarlandMay 02, 2025

A screenshot from video by Roger Merrill, a witness to a May 1, 2025, crash in Idaho just outside Yellowstone on Highway 20 that killed seven people.

Eyewitness Recounts "Very Horrific” Crash That Killed 7 Outside Yellowstone

A man who witnessed the aftermath of a fiery crash that killed seven people in Idaho just outside the west Yellowstone entrance in Montana on Thursday evening describes the scene as “very horrific.” State police are still investigating what caused the collision.

Clair McFarlandMay 02, 2025

Mom Of Sheridan Cop Killer Charged With Giving Him Guns Says He Stole Them

A woman charged with furnishing guns to her son, who then went on to shoot and kill a Sheridan police sergeant last year, says the government is withholding evidence that could show her son actually stole the guns from her.

Clair McFarlandMay 02, 2025

Fremont County Jelly-Maker Pleads Guilty To Transporting Meth From Las Vegas

A Riverton woman who sold homemade jelly at the Fremont County farmer’s market also was moving drugs, authorities say. She’s pleaded guilty to picking up meth and dumpster pot during a Las Vegas trip and bringing it back to Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandMay 01, 2025

Bobbie Watts was shot in the arm Tuesday while confronting a suspected burglar about just what was in a three-gallon bucket, after the Riverton business Watts manages was burglarized. The bullet came through the windshiled of his F-350 where his head would've been if he hadn't ducked.

Riverton Man Takes Gunshot Shrapnel While Confronting Suspected Burglars

Bobby Watts chased two burglars away from a Riverton business, helped deputies investigate, confronted one of the suspects on the road, and took some gunshot shrapnel to his upper arm Tuesday. Then he started his normal workday.

Clair McFarlandMay 01, 2025

Suspected Upton Bomb Maker Could Get Quadruple Prison Time As Feds Take Case

A man accused of setting a propane time-bomb at an Upton drilling yard has had his case switched from state court to federal. That means the potential five years in prison he could have gotten if convicted in state court has quadrupled.

Clair McFarlandMay 01, 2025

Cheyenne Man Gets 7-9 Years In Prison For Pistol-Whipping Casper Man

A 20-year-old Cheyenne man got seven to nine years in prison Thursday for pistol-whipping a Casper man and shooting at another after a drunken night of partying last August.

Dale KillingbeckMay 01, 2025

Tracking Earbuds Helped Wyoming Trooper Catch Man Who Took Off With Utah Teen

Using tracking data from a 17-year-old girl’s earbuds, and a photograph, a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper caught a 33-year-old man Sunday accused of taking the girl from her Utah hometown without her parents’ consent, authorities say.

Clair McFarlandApril 30, 2025

In this image from Thermopolis Police Sgt. Mike Mascorro's body cam on April 28, 2023, shows Mascorro being confronted by an armed Buck Laramore after breaking into Laramore's home intending to arrest him.

Wife And Mother Of Man Killed By Thermopolis Police Officer File Lawsuit

The wife and mother of a Thermopolis man killed by police Sgt. Mike Mascorro in 2023 filed a lawsuit Monday against Mascorro and the police. They claim Mascorro broke into Buck Laramore's house illegally, touching off a shootout that killed Laramore.

Clair McFarlandApril 30, 2025

Judge Sides With Rock Springs Schools, Tosses Parents' Gender-Transition Lawsuit

A Wyoming federal judge Monday ruled against a Rock Springs couple who sued their local school district on claims it helped socially gender-transition their high school daughter without their knowledge or consent.

Clair McFarlandApril 29, 2025

Lander Man Jury Couldn’t Convict Pleads Guilty To Murder

A Lander man whose trial had ended in a hung jury pleaded guilty Tuesday in the bludgeoning death of a 57-year-old man he had invited into his home last year.

Clair McFarlandApril 29, 2025

Dash cam photos offer some detail of the suspect's semitruck in a fatal hit-and-run near Rock Springs that left a commercial truck driver dead.

Trucking Community Devastated By Fatal I-80 Hit-And-Run Near Rock Springs

Four days after a semitruck driver was killed while stopped on the shoulder of I-80 near Rock Springs, the Wyoming Highway Patrol is escalating its search for the hit-and-run driver. Industry insiders say they’re devastated by the “freak” incident.

Zakary SonntagApril 29, 2025

A transient man who broke the face of a Laramie woman he dated two years ago was sentenced April 29, 2025, to a two-month jail stint, followed by an intensive probation and treatment program — with the threat of six to eight years in prison if he fails the program. David Wayne Leyba, 61, was also ordered to pay $7,734.85 in restitution for the damages he caused.

Transient Who Broke Laramie Woman’s Face Gets Strict Probation

A transient man who broke the face of a Laramie woman he dated two years ago was sentenced Tuesday to a two-month jail stint, followed by probation and treatment. The judge warned that if the man fails probation, he’ll go to prison for 6-8 years.

Clair McFarlandApril 29, 2025

A woman’s body was found near a wrecked car on White Mountain outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming, on Suday. Authorities believe the victim is missing 41-year-old Melissa Ann Amadio of Green River.

Body Found On White Mountain Likely Missing Green River Woman

A woman’s body was found near a wrecked car on White Mountain outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming, on Sunday. Authorities believe the victim is missing 41-year-old Melissa Ann Amadio of Green River.

Jen KocherApril 29, 2025

The Platte County Courthouse in Wheatland, Wyoming.

Wheatland Man Gets Probation For Molesting 8-Year-Old Boy 40 Years Ago

The now-adult victim of a Wheatland man who molested him 40 years ago says he still lives with the consequences of being “raped 15-plus times.” Tyler Boyd, who was 14 when he abused the younger boy four decades ago, was sentenced Monday to probation.

Clair McFarlandApril 29, 2025

Rock Springs Man Who Stabbed Friend At Least 26 Times Gets 55 Years To Life

William Brewer, 34, was sentenced Monday in a Green River courtroom to between 55 years and life in prison for killing his friend in 2023. He stabbed his victim at least 26 times in what a prosecutor compared to a grizzly bear attack.

Clair McFarlandApril 29, 2025

A pair of Wyoming Department of Corrections officers move an inmate.

Homeless Montana Man Awarded $27.75 Million For Vicious Prison Beating

A homeless Montana man whose conviction for sex assault was overturned won a $27.75 million judgment for a vicious beating he took in prison. A private prison company, which also does business with Wyoming, didn’t do enough to protect him, a jury found.

David MadisonApril 28, 2025

Casper police and Division of Criminal Investigation officials aren’t identifying the person killed in an officer-involved shooting at a Casper home early Monday morning. The estranged husband of the woman who lived there says it was her.

Man Says Casper Cops Shot, Killed Wife In Response To Reported Burglary

A 37-year-old woman was shot and killed in an officer-involved shooting at a Casper home early Monday. The woman's estranged husband told Cowboy State Daily that "there was not a burglar" and that "the cops shot her."

Dale KillingbeckApril 28, 2025

One Dead In Officer-Involved Shooting During Casper Burglary Response

UPDATE: One person is dead after Casper Police Department officers responded early Monday to a scene with an armed burglar, the department says. "Shots were fired," and the person was taken to a hospital, and later died.

Clair McFarlandApril 28, 2025

'Urgent' Notice Issued For Air Force Member Wanted On Child Porn Allegations

The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations on Saturday issued an "urgent" notice about 27-year-old Airman First Class Branden Cecil Standifer. He's wanted on child porn allegations and was last seen at the Bozeman airport.

Clair McFarlandApril 26, 2025

Visiting University of Wyoming arts professor, Nash Quinn, 40, has not been seen or heard from since July 8, 2024, when he’s believed to have gone for a bike ride.

Still No Trace Of Popular UW Professor Missing For Nine Months

Despite extensive searches of areas University of Wyoming Professor Nash Quinn of Laramie was known to bike, searchers have found no trace of him since he disappeared last July.

Jen KocherApril 26, 2025

ICE Wants Four Held On Drug Charges In Sheridan

Four men accused of smoking marijuana in a vehicle that also contained meth while swerving across a Sheridan road this week are now in jail — and on the radar of federal immigration officials. ICE wants local authorities to hold the men for the agency.

Clair McFarlandApril 25, 2025

$When \Newberg, Oregon, Police Officer Jeromy Pilon started his night shift Wednesday last week, he had no idea he’d spend five hours on the phone with a barricaded man 1,000 miles away in Riverton, Wyoming.$

Oregon Cop Spent The Night Talking Riverton Barricade Suspect Off The Ledge

When a Newberg, Oregon, police officer started his night shift Wednesday last week, he had no idea he’d spend five hours on the phone with a barricaded man 1,000 miles away in Riverton, Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandApril 25, 2025

Twice-Deported Man Accused Of Smuggling 18,000 Rounds Of Ammo Skips Court

A twice-deported Mexican immigrant with suspected cartel-ties accused of smuggling 18,000 rounds of ammunition through Wyoming skipped federal court Friday. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

Leo WolfsonApril 25, 2025

Black Butte High School in Rock Springs is operated out of the Western Wyoming Community College campus. The school, and Sweetwater County School District No. 1 officials, are accused of transitioning a student without parental knowledge.

Former Rock Springs Teacher Emailed Student About Gender Transition

In an ongoing lawsuit about whether a Rock Springs school district helped to gender-transition a girl behind her parents' backs, the district is asking the judge not to let a former teacher's emails - which have surfaced in the case file - go to trial.

Clair McFarlandApril 24, 2025

Hotel Housekeeper Accused Of Stealing Elderly Couple's Coins Makes Plea Deal For Probation

The former head housekeeper of the Plains Hotel in Cheyenne agreed to a plea deal for probation in a stolen coin case. Rene Maria Manzanares is accused of stealing nearly $26,000 in coins from an elderly couple who lost their home in a mudslide.

Clair McFarlandApril 24, 2025

Joshua Hayden-Ali, 43, aka "Wisdom," is known around Cheyenne for throwing "hexes" at people, threatening them with a staff and making death threats.

Cheyenne Voodoo Man Charged With Tearing Up Election Center Says He Was Set Up

Nicknamed "Wisdom," Joshua Hayden-Ali, is choosing to have a bench trial in which a judge, not a jury, will decide if he's guilty of tearing up an election center. He told Cowboy State Daily he's been set up by a secret organization.

Clair McFarlandApril 23, 2025

Screenshot from graphic body camera video that shows the Pocatello, Idaho, Police Department's lethal response to a disabled teen brandishing a long knife and threatening family members.

Body Cam Video Shows Shooting Death Of Autistic Idaho Teen By Police

Body camera video has been released showing the shooting death by Pocatello, Idaho, police of a non-verbal autistic teen brandishing a large knife. The incident has sparked protests of the local police.

David MadisonApril 23, 2025

Uzbekistani Trucker Accused Of Chasing Another Trucker With Knife

An Uzbekistani truck driver was arrested after a road rage incident along Interstate 80 in southwest Wyoming, which escalated into him chasing another trucker with a knife, court documents say. He's scheduled for a Friday court hearing.

Clair McFarlandApril 23, 2025

Steven Marler, left, consults with his attorneys following a morning court session last week.

Casper Foster Dad Found Guilty Of Sexually Abusing Adopted Girls

It took a Casper jury more than six hours Tuesday afternoon and evening to convict Steven Marler on eight of 11 charges of sexually abusing two adopted daughters, including one of rape.

Dale KillingbeckApril 23, 2025

Body Found On Wind River Reservation May Be Missing Father, Daughter Says

Authorities declined Tuesday to confirm to Cowboy State Daily whose body they found on the Wind River Reservation, but the daughter of a man missing since December said it may be her father.

Clair McFarlandApril 23, 2025

Wyoming Man Accused Of Having Deceased Child Porn Gets 22-27 Years In Prison

A Wyoming man originally accused of having pornographic images of babies, toddlers and dead children has been sentenced to 22-27 years in prison. He pleaded “no contest” to 23 of the 54 child porn charges against him, says a Tuesday court order.

Clair McFarlandApril 22, 2025

Steven Marler, left, and attorneys John Hummel and Devon Petersen leave the Natrona County District Court.

Jury Has Case Of Casper Man Who Told Girl ‘I know I Shouldn’t Love You Like This’

A Natrona County District Court jury started deliberating Tuesday the fate of a Casper foster father accused of sexually abusing multiple young girls. One alleged victim told the jury he said to her, “I know I shouldn’t love like this, but I do.”

Dale KillingbeckApril 22, 2025

Newcastle Police Find Unexploded Bottle Bombs, Shoot Them To Neutralize

Newcastle police are investigating the discovery of three 2-liter bottle bombs on a sidewalk in town. Filled with drain or toilet-bowl cleaner and aluminum foil, the bombs were safely exploded from a distance by shooting them.

Clair McFarlandApril 22, 2025

Police Say Gillette Dementia Patient Froze After Nursing Assistant Ignored Alarm

A nursing assistant at a Gillette senior living center was formally charged Tuesday with involuntary manslaughter for the freezing death of an 88-year-old dementia patient. Police say he ignored an alarm she triggered when she went outside in January.

Jen KocherApril 22, 2025

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 Tosses 8 Of 19 Charges Against Former Foster Dad In Child Sex Abuse Trial

The Natrona County District Judge in the Steven Marler trial tossed eight of 19 sexual abuse charges against Marler. Final arguments in the trial are expected Tuesday.

Dale KillingbeckApril 21, 2025

Montana Cops Caught On Duty Playing ‘Crime Bingo’ With Traffic Stops

Thirteen Bozeman police officers were caught playing games of “Crime Bingo,” the department reported. The customized bingo cards included incidents to check off during traffic stops, like “arrest 2 people” or “butt-ass naked.”

David MadisonApril 21, 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

Berry Bryant's gravestone at Mountain View Cemetery in Riverton.

Murder Of Wyoming College Student Still Raw For Family After Nearly 30 Years

In 1996, 18-year-old Berry Bryant of Riverton was murdered by a fellow Northwest College student. Her brother, Ryan, says her death is still raw for the family and he wants to keep Berry’s memory alive — even if it means laughing about it on a podcast.

Jen KocherApril 19, 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

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

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

Judge Closes Courtroom To Casper Foster Dad Trial

A judge closed the Casper courtroom Thursday where Steven Marler is on trial for multiple sexual abuse charges involving his adopted children and former foster children. The pause was to deal with legal issues.

Dale KillingbeckApril 17, 2025

Gillette, Wyoming, police investigated the death of an 88-year-old assisted living patient found dead outside in a courtyard of the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center.

Former Gillette Nursing Assistant Charged In Freezing Death Of 88-Year-Old Dementia Patient

A 57-year-old nursing assistant at the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center in Gillette has been charged with manslaughter in the freezing death of a resident. The 88-year-old woman with dementia was found frozen in an outdoor courtyard of the facility.

Jen KocherApril 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

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

Assailant Gets More Than 7 Years In Prison In “Kill The White Guy” Burglary Case

A Montana man was sentenced to just over seven years in prison for a botched home invasion that could’ve been worse if he had killed “the white guy,” as an accomplice urged.

David MadisonApril 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

Even after announcing Wednesday they've finally identified the remains of a John Doe found near a refinery in Cheyenne in 2023 as Neal D. Samson, 61, authorities still have a mystery on their hands.

Remains Of Cheyenne John Doe Identified, But Mystery Remains

Even after announcing Wednesday they've finally identified the remains of a John Doe found near a refinery in Cheyenne in 2023, authorities still have a mystery on their hands.

Jen KocherApril 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

Members of the team prosecuting Steven Marler, Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen, left, and Assistant District Attorney Brandon Rosty, third from left, leave the courthouse earlier this week.

Casper Foster Dad’s Defense Questions Validity Of Sex Abuse Claims By Kids

After six days of testimony from Steven Marler’s former adopted and foster children claiming multiple sex assaults, he gets his turn. The defense for the Casper, Wyoming, man started presenting its case Wednesday, questioning the validity of those claims.

Dale KillingbeckApril 16, 2025

Steven Marler, center, talks with his attorneys, John Hummel, left, and Devon Petersen after the prosecution rested its case.

1 Child Sex Charge Thrown Out For Casper Foster Dad, 19 Still Active

Defense attorneys for an award-winning former foster dad Tuesday asked a Natrona County District Court judge for an acquittal of 11 of 20 sexual abuse charges. The prosecutor and judge responded by throwing out one of the charges.

Dale KillingbeckApril 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

Squatters Suspected Of Starting Fire In Vacant Evanston Motel

Squatters staying in a vacant hotel in Evanston, Wyoming, are suspected of starting a fire Tuesday in the vacant Hillcrest Motel. Police report the owner of the motel has been trying to renovate it, but has been having problems evicting squatters.

Andrew RossiApril 15, 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

In a “WKRP In Cincinnati”-inspired test, Cowboy State Daily columnist Rod Miller demonstrated the dangers of drunk driving. On a closed-course demonstration hosted by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, he took shots and drove a riding lawnmower through cones.

National Police Conference To Feature Laramie County Drunk Driving Lawn Mower Test

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak said the WKRP-inspired video of Wyoming columnist Rod Miller getting drunk and then driving on a riding lawnmower will be getting some national exposure. The video, which illustrates the dangers of drunk driving, will be featured at a national police conference.

Leo WolfsonApril 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

More Graphic Testimony From Children In Casper Foster Dad Sex Abuse Trial

A former foster daughter of Steven Marler testified Monday about how he sexually assaulted her in the family’s master bedroom. Other former foster children also detailed alleged physical abuse in the family’s Casper Mountain home.

Dale KillingbeckApril 14, 2025

Escaped Human Smuggler Nabbed Again Near Montana U.S.-Canada Border

A woman previously convicted of human smuggling who later escaped from federal custody has been arrested again. She’s now accused of harboring illegal immigrants near the U.S.-Canada border in Montana.

David MadisonApril 14, 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

Deep fakes and impersonations grow as Wyomingites continue to be scammed out of millions of dollars a year to cybercrimes. That includes a Gillette man who shelled out $11,000 this week in fake warrant scam.

Cybercriminals Get More Personal In Scamming Wyomingites Out Of Millions

Deep fakes and impersonations grow as Wyomingites continue to be scammed out of millions of dollars a year by cybercrimes. That includes a Gillette man who shelled out $11,000 this week in fake warrant scam.

Jen KocherApril 13, 2025

Natrona County District Attorney Dan Itzen, right, and other members of the team prosecuting Steven Marler are in their third day of scheduled three-week trial. Friday, one of defendant Steven Marler’s daughters testified.

Adopted Daughter Says She Was 9 Or 10 When Dad’s Massages Progressed To Rape

The adopted daughter of Casper foster dad Steven Marler, 50, testified Friday that she was 9 or 10 when his massages turned to molestations and rape. When he lost interest in her, she says he “was moving on to the younger girls.”

Dale KillingbeckApril 11, 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

Jury Shown Home Videos Of Award-Winning Foster Dad On Trial For Sex Abuse

A naked boy with marks on his leg and his adopted father holding a belt were among the videos shown to jurors Thursday in the trial of an award-winning Casper foster dad facing 26 charges, including sexual abuse of children in his care.

Dale KillingbeckApril 10, 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

Neighbors Say “It’s A Miracle” All 9 Teens Survived Cokeville Head-On Crash

Kenny Petersen ran to the scene near his home where a pickup and SUV collided head-on Wednesday night outside Cokeville. There he and his wife found a grim scene, saying that “it’s a miracle” all nine high school-aged teens involved survived.

Justin GeorgeApril 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

9 Young People Hurt In Head-On Collision Outside Cokeville

A pickup and SUV, both carrying juveniles, collided just outside Cokeville, Wyoming, on Wednesday night, injuring all nine occupants. Some of the kids suffered head and internal injuries, and two were flow for treatment by air ambulance.

Justin GeorgeApril 10, 2025

Trial Starts For Former Casper Foster Dad Facing 26 Child Sex Charges

A trial began Wednesday for a former Casper foster dad facing 26 child sex charges, accused of abusing four girls in his care. The district attorney says Steven Marler at one point told a victim that, “I know I shouldn’t love you like this, but I do.”

Dale KillingbeckApril 09, 2025

‘You Can’t Park There’: U-Haul Jumps Curb, Gets Wedged Under Evanston Overpass

A U-Haul truck that jumped the curb and got wedged under the Highway 150 overpass in Evanston, Wyoming, on Tuesday. Many passersby couldn’t help a second look and occasionally yelling some helpful advice as they drove by: “You can’t park there!”

Andrew RossiApril 09, 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

David Henrikson and Toni Brown say they daily continue to grapple with the loss of their daughter, Lene’a Brown, who was gunned down in a Casper Park on May 14, 2024.

Casper Teen Who Shot Ex-Girlfriend At Point-Blank Range Gets 42-75 Years In Prison

A 16-year-old Casper boy who said “I just want to kill someone” before shooting his ex-girlfriend at point-blank range got 42-75 years in prison Tuesday. For the girl’s family, the pain is still raw. “I scream on the inside all day long,” her father said.

Dale KillingbeckApril 08, 2025

Banks in Montana and Wyoming were targeted by fraudsters Decoriss Darnell Smith, left, and Stanford Wilvin Lightfoot, who forged phony paychecks, then recruited homeless people to cash them at local “country” banks. The homeless were also left to take the blame if caught.

National Crime Ring Recruited Homeless To Take The Blame In Check Cashing Scheme

Banks in Montana and Wyoming were targeted by fraudsters who forged phony paychecks, then recruited homeless people to cash them at local “country” banks. The homeless were also left to take the blame if caught.

David MadisonApril 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

Riggin Schaffer, 18, was killed March 23 when he stopped to help a driver hurt in a highway crash and was hit by another vehicle that came upon the scene.

No Charges For Driver Who Hit Good Samaritan, DUI For Teen He Stopped To Help

The Wyoming Highway Patrol released its report Monday on the Highway 130 crash that killed good Samaritan Riggin Schaffer, 18, on March 23. The driver who hit Schaffer wasn’t drunk or ticketed, but the crashed driver Schaffer stopped to help got a DUI.

David MadisonApril 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

Casper Teen Tells Police Stabbing Another Teen 5 Times Was ‘Self-Defense Yo’

The Casper Police Department announced Monday that an arrest warrant has been issued for a Casper teen accused of stabbing another teen five times. He told police the victim tried to beat him up, so the stabbing is “self-defense yo.”

Dale KillingbeckApril 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

Nearly 30 years later, the murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey remains unsolved. The childhood friend of a person of interest believes his confessions hold the truth. That friend sent a number of letters from prison confessing to killing her, along with displaying an infatuation with the young girl.

Who Killed JonBenét? Friend Of Pedophile Who Confessed Says Look At Him Again

Who killed JonBenét Ramsey? The childhood friend of a convicted pedophile and person of interest told Cowboy State Daily he has prison letters from that man confessing to killing her, and says police need to look at him again.

Jen KocherApril 06, 2025

Anne Elliott vanished five years ago in downtown Salt Lake City as her family continues searching for her. Forensic investigators were on site March 26, sifting for more bones and evidence.

Families Of Missing People On Edge After Human Remains Discovered In Utah Pond

Following the discovery of a skull and bones in a pond near Salt Lake City in late March, several families wait for the bones to be identified. That includes loved ones of a missing Wyoming woman.

Jen KocherApril 05, 2025

A photo of John Hardy in his police vehicle at the Gillette Police Department.

Wyoming History: The 1983 Rampage That Killed A Gillette Cop And Family Of 4

On a cold December day in 1983, a Wyoming power plant worker’s jealous anger boiled over into a violent and deadly rampage. He used automatic weapons and pipe bombs, killing a family of four, then a Gillette cop in an ambush before killing himself.

Dale KillingbeckApril 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

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

Sean Brennan, 57 of Hudson, Wyoming, was confronted Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Lander for allegedly having sexually-charged online conversations with decoys he thought were underage girls.

Hudson Man Caught By Video Vigilante Pleads Guilty To Federal Child Porn Charge

A Hudson man will go to prison for at least 10 years after pleading guilty Thursday to possessing child pornography. He was caught in September when a video vigilante tracked him to his job in Wyoming and confronted him. His boss fired him on the spot.

Leo WolfsonApril 03, 2025

Gabriel Seth Rodgers, a Wyoming drug dealer and gun thief who broke conditions of his supervised release by fleeing to Mexico, has a plea deal.

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

Former Bar Nunn Fire Chief Denies Stealing From Fill The Boot Fundraiser

A former Bar Nunn fire chief pleaded not guilty Thursday to allegations he stole more than $2,600 from the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Fill the Boot fundraiser. He’s also accused of more than $20,000 worth of misuse of a department credit card.

Dale KillingbeckApril 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

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

Home surveillance video shows Clint White leaving his house in Powell, Wyoming, just before 2 a.m. last Wednesday. Nobody’s seen him since. His mysterious disappearance has the family and police baffled. His body was found Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

Family Devastated After Missing Powell Man Found Dead

After a week of searching for Powell resident Clint White, 52, his family’s worst fears were realized Tuesday when he was found dead. No foul play is suspected, authorities report.

Jen KocherApril 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

Large Focus Area, Almost Nothing To Go On Impacts Search For Missing Powell Man

Nearly a week after Powell resident Clint White, 52, disappeared from his home, his family and local police still have almost nothing to go on. Also impacting the search is a 30-mile radius area outside the city looking for his car.

Jen KocherApril 01, 2025

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

Casper 18-Year-Old Pleads Not Guilty In Shooting Death Of 16-Year-Old Friend

A Casper 18-year-old pleaded not guilty Tuesday to shooting and killing his 16-year-old friend while hanging out and playing video games. Police say he also has a history of showing off guns and pointing them at people.

Dale KillingbeckApril 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

There’s a dispute over exactly where the boundary line is between land owned by the South Dakota ranchers Heather and Charles Maude and national grassland controlled by the Forest Service. The couple was served federal indictments alleging theft of government property.

Federal Fence Line Fight With Ranchers Is ‘Odd,’ Wyoming Attorney Says

An ongoing fence line fight between a South Dakota ranch family and the U.S. Forest Service has grabbed national attention. It also seems “odd,” says a Wyoming attorney who has handled land disputes.

Mark HeinzMarch 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

Police, Family Baffled By Powell Man’s Mysterious Disappearance

Home surveillance video shows Clint White leaving his house in Powell, Wyoming, just before 2 a.m. last Wednesday. Nobody’s seen him since. His mysterious disappearance has the family and police baffled.

Jen KocherMarch 31, 2025

Even In Wyoming, Experts Say Shooting At Someone Stealing Your Stuff Not A Good Idea

It’s best to know what the law says about using a gun to defend yourself, your home and possessions in Wyoming before opening fire, experts say. A Casper man may learn that after unloading at his own truck while a guy was stealing it.

Mark HeinzMarch 29, 2025

Alfred Packer confessed to cannibalism for eating his five companions in the winter of 1874. He had been hired as their guide and instead got them lost in the San Juan mountains of Colorado during a blizzard. The spelling of his first name is wrong on this sign, a common mistake because Packer himself had a tattoo with his first name misspelled "Alfred."

A Wyoming Sheriff Caught Infamous Cannibal Alfred Packer, Brought Him To Justice

After eating his five traveling companions in the Colorado mountains in the winter of 1874, Alfred Packer eluded capture for nearly a decade. One of the most infamous cannibals in U.S. history was caught and brought to justice by a Wyoming sheriff.

Jackie DorothyMarch 29, 2025

Wyoming Again In Spotlight With New TV Series About ‘Happy Face Killer’

A new TV series on Paramount+ will feature the story of Keith Jesperson, who admitted to murdering at least eight women across five states — including Wyoming — between 1990 and 1995.

Jen KocherMarch 29, 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

Dr. Eric Cubin, left, is suing Gov. Mark Gordon for reinstatement to the Wyoming State Board of Medicine.

Casper Doctor Not Giving Up Fight To Get Back On Wyoming Board Of Medicine

Casper radiologist Eric Cubin has filed an appeal to get back on the Wyoming Board of Medicine after pressure from Gov. Mark Gordon to resign last year. Cubin lobbied for legislation banning transgender surgeries and treatments on minors.

Leo WolfsonMarch 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

Riggin Schaffer, an 18-year-old WyoTech student with dreams of building muscle cars stopped to help the injured driver of a one-car rollover Sunday on Highway 130 near Laramie. While doing that, he was hit by another driver and killed.

18-Year-Old Good Samaritan Hit, Killed While Helping Injured Driver Near Laramie

An 18-year-old WyoTech student from Montana with dreams of building muscle cars stopped to help the injured driver of a one-car rollover Sunday on Highway 130 near Laramie. While doing that, he was hit by another driver and killed.

David MadisonMarch 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

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

Wyoming Gun Owners Blast Supreme Court For Upholding Biden-Era ‘Ghost Gun’ Rules

Wyoming gun rights advocates are blasting a Wednesday U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Biden-era “ghost gun” rules. The regs require serial numbers and background checks for self-made firearms.

Mark HeinzMarch 26, 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

Rajion Vu, 26, of Evansville was sentenced to 12-18 years in prison Tuesday for the Feb. 1, 2024, killing of a 30-year-old Casper man in a drug deal gone bad. The victim’s brother testified he was “not an angel,” but “didn’t deserve to die.”

Evansville Man Gets Up To 18 Years For Killing Man In Drug Deal Gone Bad

A 26-year-old Evansville man was sentenced to 12-18 years in prison Tuesday for the Feb. 1, 2024, killing of a 30-year-old Casper man in a drug deal gone bad. The victim’s brother testified he was “not an angel,” but “didn’t deserve to die.”

Dale KillingbeckMarch 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

Casper Man Empties Handgun As His Truck Is Stolen, Then Catches Up To It

A 41-year-old Casper man is expected in court Tuesday, accused of stealing a truck. The owner of the truck emptied a handgun at it as it was driven away, then caught up to it in another car and held the alleged thief at gunpoint until police got there.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 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

Dental records identified Breanna Mitchell as the woman whose remains were found in rural Washakie County. Mitchell disappeared nearly two years ago. Her cause of death is not known.

Human Remains ID’d As Washakie County Woman Missing Since 2023

Dental records identified Breanna Mitchell on Monday as the woman whose remains were found Sunday in rural Washakie County. Mitchell disappeared nearly two years ago. Her cause of death is not known.

Jen KocherMarch 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

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

The Washakie County Sheriff’s Office is investigating human remains discovered by a Wyoming Game and Fish warden March 23, 2025. Officials are working to identify the remains, and so far there's no informtion about whether they could belong to any current missing people reported in the area or someone else.

Authorities Attempt To ID Human Skeletal Remains Found In Washakie County

The Washakie County Sheriff’s Office is investigating human remains discovered by a Wyoming Game and Fish warden Sunday. The warden had been tracking a deer collar in a remote area of the county when he came across the remains.

Jen KocherMarch 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

Fort Washakie Man Who Killed Wife In Front Of Their Young Daughter Gets 30 Years

A Fort Washakie man was given 30 years in prison Friday for shooting and killing his wife in front of their 11-year-old daughter in April 2024. The judge escalated his sentence because the girl “had to witness the death of her mother with her own eyes.”

Dale KillingbeckMarch 21, 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

The aftermath of months of camping protesters over the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017.

Greenpeace Ordered To Pay $667M In Protest Damages Over Dakota Access Pipeline

Greenpeace was ordered by a judge Wednesday to pay $667 million related to a 10-month violent protest over building the Dakota Access Pipeline. Protesters camping at the North Dakota site damaged the land and created a policing and cleanup nightmare.

David MadisonMarch 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

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

Gillette Man Accused Of Pistol-Whipping, Trying To Shoot Sister’s Friend

A Gillette man has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly pistol-whipping and trying to shoot a friend of his sister’s Monday. “I tried to kill him,” he reportedly told police, but in court Tuesday told the judge, "I defended myself.”

Jen KocherMarch 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

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

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

The boyfriend of Irene Gakwa, a Gillette nursing student missing for three years, could be released from prison this month. Nathan Hightman drained her accounts after she disappeared and remains a “person of interest” in the case.

Boyfriend Of Missing Gillette Woman Irene Gakwa Set For Prison Release

The boyfriend of Irene Gakwa, a Gillette nursing student missing for three years, is set to be released from prison this month. Nathan Hightman drained her accounts after she disappeared and remains a “person of interest” in the case.

Jen KocherMarch 15, 2025

More than a month after a devastating 26-vehicle crash and fire inside the westbound Green River Tunnel, cleanup is still underway.

Westbound Green River Tunnel May Not Reopen Until Next Winter

It’s been more than a month since a devastating 26-vehicle Valentine’s Day crash killed three people in the Green River Tunnel on westbound Interstate 80. The Wyoming Department of Transportation says it will take months to repair and hopes to have it open by next winter.

Greg JohnsonMarch 15, 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

Defendant Paul Hilburn, addresses Casper Circuit Court Judge Kevin Taheri as Natrona County Deputy District Attorney Blaine Nelson listens.

Casper Man Pleads Not Guilty To Charges From January Stabbing

A 71-year-old Casper man pleaded not guilty Friday to three charges stemming from a January stabbing at his apartment. He allegedly told police one of the stabbings was an accident.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 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

The house in the 800 block of 53rd Street in Casper on Wednesday had all the police tape removed that encircled it earlier in the week.

Other Than Saying Case Is ‘Complicated,’ Casper Police Mum On Fatal Shooting

Casper police said Wednesday they continue to investigate Saturday’s fatal shooting of a man at a local home. There have been no arrests, and other than saying the case is “complicated,” little is being released about the shooting.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 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

Casper Man Pleads Guilty To Shooting Crossbow Bolt Into Ex-Girlfriend’s Home

A 47-year-old Casper man admitted in court Wednesday to shooting a crossbow bolt through a window where his ex-girlfriend was staying last September. He bragged about doing something that would be “in the news.”

Dale KillingbeckMarch 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

Ryan Pasborg ran into this burning house to save a Green River woman and her son.

Story Of Green River Heroism Takes Bizarre Turn With Phony AI Court Cases

A Wyoming judge has sanctioned a lawyer for citing fake AI cases in a lawsuit over what caused a nearly fatal house fire in Green River. A woman and her son were saved by Ryan Pasborg, who was given the nation's highest honor for heroism for his actions.

David MadisonMarch 10, 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

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

A 47-year-old man was shot to death during what police report was a family altercation at this house on 53rd Street in Casper on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

Casper Police Say Man Shot And Killed During “Physical Altercation” With Family

Casper police report that an argument between family members escalated, leading to a man being shot to death Saturday. No arrests as an investigation continues.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 10, 2025

Police in Casper, Wyoming, were dispatched to a southside neighborhood home Saturday night to find an adult male dead. The department isn’t reporting any details other than it’s investigating a “suspicious death.”

Casper Police Investigate ‘Suspicious Death' Of Man In Southside Home

Police in Casper were dispatched to a southside neighborhood home Saturday night to find an adult male dead. The police told Cowboy State Daily the incident is being investigated as a "suspicious death."

Dale KillingbeckMarch 09, 2025

Jamie Kamai was 25 years old when he was shot and killed in south Cheyenne during his morning commute by an unknown driver who was tailgating him.

Who Killed Cheyenne Man Along Busy Street In Front Of 8-Year-Old Boy 24 Years Ago?

Jamie Kamai, a 25-year-old delivery driver with his life in front of him, was shot and killed in broad daylight along a busy Cheyenne street in 2001. Now 24 years later, there are still few answers about who killed him in front of 8-year-old stepson.

Jen KocherMarch 09, 2025

A photo exhibit submitted by the Flathead Conservation District supporting its call for the demolition of this home built by John and Stacy Ambler, a couple from San Diego.

Judge: Couple Can Keep House Built Without Permits In Glacier National Park

A judge has spared a home built by a California couple inside of Glacier National Park in Montana. Critics of the ruling say Glacier National Park allowed a couple from San Diego to build whatever they wanted, however they wanted.

David MadisonMarch 09, 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

Amy Gale Weaver, as she appears on a missing person alert.

No Sign Of Casper Mother Of Six Missing For More Than Two Months

The oldest daughter of Amy Gale Weaver, a Casper mother of six, says she’s desperate to find her mother. Weaver has been missing for more than two months. The police told Cowboy State Daily they've exhausted all of their tips and leads.

Jen KocherMarch 08, 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

The body of Brent Layman of Lander, Wyoming, missing for three months, was found March 5, 2025, in Utah.

Lander Man Missing For 3 Months Found Dead In Utah

The body of Brent Layman of Lander has been found after a three-month search. His body was found near where his car was abandoned along I-80 in Utah. No foul play is suspected.

Jen KocherMarch 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

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak said President Donald Trump's promise to make the death penalty mandatory for people who kill cops is a welcome show of support for law enforcement.

Trump’s Promise Of Death For Cop Killers Resonates With Wyoming Officers

Law enforcement officers in Wyoming say President Donald Trump’s promise to make the death penalty mandatory for people who kill police and first responders is appreciated and overdue. They also want those sentences to be carried out.

Greg JohnsonMarch 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

Ex-Casper Cop Pleads Guilty To Shooting At Deputies During 17-Hour Standoff

A 31-year-old former Casper police officer pleaded guilty Thursday to six of seven charges stemming from a 17-hour standoff in August 2024, where prosecutors say he shot at police.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 06, 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

Cody resident Kailey Kline and her mother Amber Espinoza still maintain that Kline was poisoned with antifreeze on New Year's Eve despite a Cody Police investigative report saying otherwise.

Prosecutor Says No Evidence Of Antifreeze After Woman Nearly Dies From Spiked Drink

Park County, Wyoming, officials say there’s no evidence that a woman was poisoned with antifreeze from a spiked drink at a Cody bar New Year’s Eve. But the woman nearly died, and her mother questions the investigation.

Leo WolfsonMarch 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

Chance Englebert's family refuses to give up until they have answers of what happened to him nearly six years ago on the night he disappeared during a family trip to Nebraska. For her birthday, Englebert's grandmother, Linda Kluender, gifted herself a newly restored billboard along the two-lane road in western Nebraska.

Family of Missing Moorcroft Man Refuse To Give Up As They Revamp Billboard Again

It’s going on six years since Moorcroft's Chance Englebert vanished while visiting in-laws in Nebraska. His family remains desperate for any news of him, so every two years they repair a billboard to repair the faded image and peeling vinyl.

Jen KocherMarch 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

Dylan Schilt with his four brothers in a Colorado hospital after Schilt, a Laramie firefighter, was hurt when a burning house collapsed on him.

Laramie Firefighter Paralyzed After Being Crushed In House Fire Collapse

A Laramie firefighter is facing a long rehabilitation after being paralyzed when a stone fireplace chase collapsed on him while fighting a house fire late Friday. His father told Cowboy State Daily that doctors believe his spinal cord is still intact.

Mark HeinzMarch 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

The disappearance and murder of Gabby Petito captured headlines around the globe. The young up-and-coming YouTuber was found dead in Bridger-Teton National Park in Wyoming in fall 2021. A new Netflix series about the murder is putting Wyoming in the spotlight again.

Netflix Docuseries On Gabby Petito Murder Puts Wyoming In Spotlight Again

The search for Gabby Petito in fall 2021 had the world watching northwest Wyoming. The missing YouTuber was ultimately found murdered in Bridger-Teton National Forest, and a new Netflix docuseries puts Teton County Coroner Brent Blue and the investigative team in the spotlight again.

Jen KocherMarch 02, 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

The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center in Gillette, Wyoming. The parent organizaiton of the facility says it’s making changes even as police investigate two recent deaths there. But there are still more questions than answers about how one woman could freeze to death outside the center or another by overdose.

Beleaguered Assisted Living Center In Gillette Trying To Earn Back Public Trust

After making international headlines when an elderly female resident was found frozen in January, the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center in Gillette announced Friday it will continue to not admit new patients until it’s fully staffed and has reduced the number of contracted staff.

Jen KocherMarch 01, 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

Scammer Selling Bogus Cheyenne Frontier Days Food Truck Applications

Wyoming food truck vendors are being scammed into paying bogus application fees in hopes of having a coveted spot at Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Cheyenne Police Department warns.

Greg JohnsonFebruary 27, 2025

Edward “Ean” Nurse worked at the Great Northern branch of Park Side Credit Union in Missoula, Montana. On Feb. 25, Nurse was ordered to pay $389,000 in restitution for the cash he stole by removing it from the bank’s vault. He then replaced the real cash with fake prop money, according to court documents.

Montana Credit Union Worker Replaced $340,000 In Vault With Fake Money

When a credit union employee needed cash to feed his gambling habit, he bought fake cash from an online prop money company and swapped it with real bills in the vault. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to replacing $340,000 over seven months.

David MadisonFebruary 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

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

You Can Shoot A Vicious Dog In Wyoming, But Be Prepared To Back It Up

Concealed firearms carriers can legally shoot attacking dogs but should be prepared to back their stories up, self-defense experts say. It can be more complicated in a populated area, even leading to potential endangering charges.

Mark HeinzFebruary 25, 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

Montana Man Gets 110 Years For Crashing Homemade Truck Bomb Into Neighbor’s House

A neighborhood feud turned into a scene from “Mad Max” when a Montana man transformed his truck into a firebomb on wheels and sent it crashing into a neighbor’s house. He was sentenced earlier this month to 110 years in prison for attempted murder.

David MadisonFebruary 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

Kevin Medibles told police he “wanted to feel it” when he brutally beat and stabbed a woman to death last year. On Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Wyoming Man Who “Wanted To Feel It” When He Killed Woman Gets 40 Years

An Ethete, Wyoming, man who told police he “wanted to feel it” when he brutally beat and stabbed a woman to death last year was sentenced to 40 years in prison Friday.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 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

Man Who Strangled Drunk Man At Casper Motel Gets 62 Years To Life

A 44-year-old Casper man faces a 62-to-life prison sentence for strangling a 28-year-old man in a Casper motel room last March. James Mavigliano was convicted of second-degree murder in December following a jury trial.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 20, 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

– Defense attorney Marty Scott confers with Luka Rasmussen, 18, during Rasmussen's preliminary hearing Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.

Casper Teen Charged In Fatal Shooting Had History Of Pointing Gun At People

An 18-year-old Casper man was bound over to Natrona County District Court Thursday on an involuntary manslaughter charge. Evidence at a preliminary hearing showed he had a history of pointing his .40-caliber Glock at others.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 20, 2025

Man Calls In 6 Bomb Threats To Evanston Horse Palace

A man forced the Evanston Horse Palace to close Wednesday night when he called six times in a row to say he planted a bomb inside. After a sweep with a bomb-sniffing dog, the threats are believed to be a hoax that could’ve come from anywhere.

Greg JohnsonFebruary 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

Sheridan Kids Taken By Mom Still Not Home, But Believed Safe, Police Report

After a dayslong search for a pair of young children from Sheridan who were taken Sunday by their mother, local police Wednesday night called off an alert asking people to be on the lookout for them.

Jen KocherFebruary 20, 2025

Alexander Paul Cochran, a 27-year-old Casper man with a long record, faces new charges after he entered a home early Monday, threatened a man, slapped him, pulled a knife and busted out pickup truck windows.

Casper Man Accused Of Invading Home, Pulling Knife And Threatening To Shoot Up House

A 27-year-old Casper man is accused of a 2 a.m. home invasion Tuesday in which he hit a man and threatened him with a knife. He also allegedly threatened to shoot up the house.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 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

Police in Sheridan, Wyoming, are asking the public’s help in locating 4-year-old Lindsey Fogli and her 3-year-old brother Colin, reported missing Sunday. They’re believed to have been taken by their mom.

Sheridan Police Ask For Help Finding 2 Young Kids Taken By Mom

Police in Sheridan, Wyoming, are asking the public’s help in locating a 4-year-old girl and her 3-year-old brother reported missing Sunday. They’re believed to have been taken by their mom.

Jen KocherFebruary 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

Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Parker Smith with his wife, Aby, and 4-year-old son PJ, and 2-year-old son Christian.

Wyoming Trooper Faces Worst Nightmare — Responding To His Own Family’s Crash

A Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper faced his worst nightmare last week — responding to a crash involving his own family. A witness tells Cowboy State Daily about the urgent rescue of the trooper’s 2-year-old son, who remains in serious condition.

Zakary SonntagFebruary 18, 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

A multi-agency rescue effort was launched Saturday and continued Sunday to recover an ATV with two people inside that had broken through the ice of Glendo Reservoir.

Two Die After Side-By-Side Breaks Through Ice On Glendo Reservoir

Two men died on Saturday after their UTV broke through the icy waters in Glendo Reservoir. A brother of one of the victims told Cowboy State Daily that the first responders were heroes. “Thank you for your service in the bitter cold," he said.

Andrew RossiFebruary 17, 2025

With the westbound lane of Interstate 80 through the Green River Tunnel closed, a lot of commercial truck traffic is moving through the small southwest Wyoming city.

Green River Flooded With Semis With Tunnel Closed After Devastating Crash

The small city of Green River, Wyoming, lies next to Interstate 80, one of the busiest commercial truck routes in the U.S. After Friday’s devastating crash that closed the busy Green River Tunnel, thousands of vehicles are driving through town instead.

Zakary SonntagFebruary 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

Burned vehicles inside Green River tunnel on Sunday, February 16, 2025.

Third Fatality Confirmed In Green River Tunnel Crash, 26 Vehicles Involved

A third person has been confirmed dead in Friday’s devastating multivehicle crash in the westbound lane of the Green River Tunnel, officials reported Sunday. It’s believed 26 vehicles were involved.

Zakary Sonntag & Greg JohnsonFebruary 16, 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

Gov. Mark Gordon speaks to state Sen. John Kolb following a press conference on the Green River tunnel

Responders Still Putting Out Fires, Clearing Vehicles At Green River Tunnel

At a press conference on Saturday, officials said emergency responders were still working to extinguish fires and clear piled-up vehicles, after a wreck in the Green River tunnel killed at least two people and sparked a raging blaze.

Zakary SonntagFebruary 15, 2025

A long-haul trucker who makes TikTok videos was involved in Friday's horrific Green River Tunnel crash and posted three videos about it.

Trucker In Deadly Green River Tunnel Crash Describes Harrowing Escape

A trucker who narrowly escaped Friday’s explosive pileup in the Green River Tunnel described the horror inside and shared video footage of him kicking out the window of his truck to escape.

Greg JohnsonFebruary 15, 2025

Nobody has seen or heard from Natasha Requejo since last July, leaving family and friends desperate for news of the missing mom of seven from Lusk, Wyoming. Her boyfriend at the time says she just walked off one day, leaving him and her kids behind.

Family, Friends Desperate For News Of Lusk Mother Of 7 Missing Since July

Nobody has seen or heard from Natasha Requejo since last July, leaving family and friends desperate for news of the missing mother of seven from Lusk. Her boyfriend says she just walked off one day, leaving him and her kids behind.

Jen KocherFebruary 15, 2025

Emergency crews worked around the clock responding to a massive crash and fire in the Green River Tunnel on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Massive Response To Green River Tunnel Crash, Death Toll May Rise

The Wyoming Highway Patrol on Saturday said fatalities could rise as the number of vehicles involved in a massive crash inside a tunnel on I-80 near Green River has not yet been confirmed. First responders worked through the night to fight the fire inside the tunnel.

Zakary SonntagFebruary 15, 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

Luka Rasmussen, 18, appears in Casper Circuit Court on Feb. 13, 2025, charged with involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a 16-year-old.

Affidavit: After Casper Teen Killed, Homeowner Told Shooter To “Get Rid Of The Gun”

After a 16-year-old Casper boy was accidentally shot in the head and killed while smoking pot and playing a video game with friends, the homeowner and dad of one of the teens told the shooter to “get rid of the gun,” a court affidavit says.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 14, 2025

Gillette Man Charged With Murder For Killing Half-Sister Pleads Not Guilty

The Gillette man accused of shooting his half-sister in the head and killing her last month pleaded not guilty Thursday. Vincent Hackett faces a second-degree murder charge.

Jen KocherFebruary 13, 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.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2025

Probation For Accused Jackson Flasher Who Claimed His Pants Accidentally “Fell Down”

A man accused of flashing his genitalia at women and girls in Jackson and telling police his pants accidentally "fell down" was sentenced to one year probation, mental health treatment and community service.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2025

Teen Arrested After 16-Year-Old Shot, Killed At Casper Home

An 18-year-old Casper man has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter after a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed Wednesday night. It’s the third teen-on-teen fatal incident in the town in less than a year.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 13, 2025

Staff and students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School in Cowley, Wyoming, are coping with a Feb. 10, 2025, murder-suicide that killed Brailey Blackmer, 9, and has left her 7-year-old sister Olivia fighting for her life. Both are students at the school.

Shooting Of Classmates Has School Coping, Praying After Byron Murder-Suicide

The Rocky Mountain Elementary School has brought in four extra counselors and a support dog to help its 171 students in the aftermath of a Monday murder-suicide that killed one of its students and left another in critical condition.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2025

The Wyoming Refining Co. refinery in Newcastle, Wyoming.

Explosion at Newcastle Refinery Leaves Town Without Electricity, 911 Service

An explosion at an oil refinery in Newcastle on Wednesday night, unleased a power surge that killed the town’s electricity and 911 service. One person said the explosion was like something out of a “horror movie.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2025

Olivia Blackmer, 7, continues to cling to life in a Salt Lake City hospital recovering from brain surgery. She was the lone survivor of a murder-suicide that claimed the lives of her three sisters and mother on Feb. 10, 2025, in Byron, Wyoming.

7-Year-OId Survivor Of Byron Murder-Suicide Clings To Life After Brain Surgery

The father of the only survivor of a Monday murder-suicide that claimed the lives of three girls and their mother says 7-year-old Olivia Blackmer is “still fighting.” Her brain swelling has been spiking, but she's still responding to medication, he said.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2025

Riverton Woman Gets 3-5 Years In Prison For Shooting Boyfriend's Foot

A Riverton woman was sentenced to between three and five years in prison Tuesday for shooting off part of her boyfriend's toe during an argument. Jordan Weliever also was ordered to pay about $6,100 to the state to reimburse the victim’s medical expenses.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 13, 2025

A pilot walked away from making an emergency landing on Wyoming Highway 789 on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, near Rawlins. One longtime pilot calls it the “best-case scenario” for a forced landing in freezing temperatures.

Pilot Makes Emergency Landing On Wyoming Highway Near Rawlins

A pilot walked away from making an emergency landing on Wyoming Highway 789 on Wednesday near Rawlins. One longtime pilot calls it the “best-case scenario” for a forced landing in freezing temperatures.

Andrew RossiFebruary 12, 2025

Cliff Harshman, husband of Tranyelle Harshman who died with three of her four daughters in a murder-suicide Monday, says his wife suffered from depression and had other mental struggles.

Husband Of Woman In Byron Murder-Suicide Says She Was Depressed, Struggling

The Wyoming woman who shot her four daughters then herself Monday suffered from depression and other struggles, her husband told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday. He said his wife's break has been both heartbreaking and shocking, because she “was not a monster.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2025

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

Dad Of Two Girls Shot In Byron Murder-Suicide Pleads, “Pray For My Baby”

The father of 7- and 9-year-old girls shot Monday in a murder-suicide in Byron, Wyoming, is praying frantically for the one of four young children who survived. He pleads for the world as well to “pray for my baby.”

Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2025

No Outward Signs Byron Mom Suspected Of Shooting Kids Was Struggling, Neighbors Say

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

Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2025

LDS Church Admits Cody Official Gave Bad Advice That Led To Approval Of Temple

An attorney representing the LDS church told the Wyoming Supreme Court on Tuesday that a city official gave bad advice that led to approving a controversial 101-foot steeple for the temple the church is building there.

Leo WolfsonFebruary 12, 2025

Byron Mom Suspected Of Shooting Her 4 Daughters Then Herself Dies

The Byron mother who called 911 to say her four daughters had been shot then turned the gun on herself died Tuesday afternoon, the Big Horn County Sheriff told Cowboy State Daily.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 12, 2025

What a pilot sees during a laser strike. A Montana man has been given prison time for pointing lasers at aircraft.

Paranoid Montana Man Draws Prison Time For Pointing Laser At Aircraft

When a Kalispell, Montana, man became convinced he was being followed by low-flying aircraft, he laser-blasted a flight instructor. She used her plane to help police make an arrest, and now he’ll spend 2.5 years in prison.

David MadisonFebruary 11, 2025

Dylan Short faces three felonies and a misdemeanor charge stemming from actions on Feb. 8 where he tried to set himself on fire, blow up gunpowder on a stove, and cut himself with a knife.

Casper Man Who Tried To Blow Himself Up Faces Felony Charges

A 28-year-old Casper man who unsuccessfully tried to blow himself up and challenged a police officer to “shoot me” was charged with three felonies Monday.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 11, 2025

A Byron, Wyoming, mother shot her four daughters, called 911 to report it, then shot herself in the head Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday. Three children are dead, while the condition of the fourth and mother are unknown.

Small-Town Wyoming Mom Called 911, Reported Her Four Kids Shot Then Shot Herself

A Byron, Wyoming, mother called 911 to report her four daughters had been shot, then shot herself in the head Monday, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday. Three children are dead, while the condition of the fourth and mother are unknown.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 11, 2025

Photo outside home of shooting in Byron, Wyoming, on February 10, 2025

Five Gunshot Victims, Some Dead In Byron Shooting

Law enforcement agents found five gunshot victims at a home in Byron, Wyoming, the Big Horn County sheriff's office announced on Monday. Some were found dead; two were taken to medical care.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 11, 2025

Razor Wire, Drugs And 'Coyotes' - Wyoming Troopers Say Texas Border Problems "Massive"

Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers who went to Texas last summer to assist state patrol and enforce the U.S. border told legislators on Monday that their experiences were eye-opening. “The problems Texas is facing are massive,” one trooper said.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 11, 2025

Jackson Newspaper Gives Community A Heads-Up During Active ICE Investigation

A Jackson newspaper announced that an ICE raid was taking place Friday in Jackson Hole, while it was still occurring. One former ICE official called it "bullshit" and a breach of safety and trust. Another said the media is going to report what it thinks is news.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 10, 2025

A three-month-old baby was returned to its frantic mother on Sunday night in Riverton after a vehicle was stolen, and then abandoned, with the baby in it.

Baby Safe After Car Thief Abandons Vehicle Near Riverton

A three-month-old baby who was in the back of a stolen Ford Escape was returned to its mother on Sunday evening near Riverton after the car thief abandoned the vehicle. The perpetrator has not yet been located.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 10, 2025