Cheyenne Standoff Suspect Accused Of Shooting Homeless Man Over $30 Debt

CHEYENNE — After arguing with a homeless man named Earl over a $30 debt at a long-term stay motel, a 69-year-old man reportedly told Earl to “die, bitch,” then shot him in the chest Friday.

Harold Wayne Sarvis then stood over Earl as he lay on the ground, retreated back into Room 120 at the Bighorn Motel at 2004 E. Lincolnway, and held police at bay for four hours before being removed by a SWAT team.

That’s the basic narrative of how Earl Mercer wound up at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center with a bullet wound to the chest and Sarvis facing an attempted second-degree murder charge, Cheyenne Police Department Detective Michael Webster wrote in an affidavit of probable cause made available Wednesday.

Mercer was intoxicated at the time, and is well-known at the Bighorn, the motel’s manager told Webster.

At some point in the past, Sarvis loaned Mercer $30, and they argued about the money leading up to the shooting, Mercer told investigators, according to the affidavit.

Surveillance video at the motel shows their interaction — except the actual shooting — the affidavit says, adding that at one point, Mercer said he had already paid the money back.

Then he said he was trying to put the $30 on the steps outside Sarvis’ door when he was shot.

On The Video

On the video, Mercer is seen arriving at the motel at about 2:13 p.m. Friday, then about a minute later he’s seen being thrown out into the common area, Webster wrote.

“Mercer can then be seen going to a nearby room for assistance,” the affidavit says. “The video shows Sarvis standing over Mercer, who is lying on the ground — never attempting to render aid.”

Sarvis then goes back into his room and doesn’t leave again before police arrive, Webster wrote.

In the meantime, another officer went to the hospital to check on Mercer’s condition.

The officer “could see a bullet entry wound in the middle of Mercer’s chest and an exit wound in the right-side abdomen area,” the affidavit says. 

Mercer, who appeared intoxicated, was conscious and told the officer that “Wayne shot him over a $30 dispute,” according to the affidavit. 

“Mercer told (another detective) that he owed Sarvis $30 and told Sarvis he had already paid him,” Webster wrote. “Mercer stated he was putting the money on the steps and Sarvis stated, ‘Die, bitch,’ and shot him one time with a black handgun in the common area of the steps leading to the apartment.”

The Standoff

While executing a search warrant at the motel, “Sarvis was located inside the residence,” the affidavit says.

A spent 9 mm shell casing was also found in the common area where Mercer said he had been shot.

Sarvis was unresponsive and uncooperative with the small army of law officers who responded. A total of 34 cars from the CPD, Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and other agencies converged on the motel.

The joint CPD/LCSO SWAT team also responded, according to earlier police reports about the incident. 

“The SWAT team made several announcements commanding Sarvis to exit the room, but he refused,” the CPD reported. “Crisis negotiators were able to briefly communicate with him by phone, but he was not cooperative.”

At 6:10 p.m., the SWAT team breached Sarvis’ room and sent in an unmanned drone to locate him. He eventually surrendered.

Inside the room, a Glock 17 handgun was found stashed in the attic of the apartment, loaded with a 17-round magazine, the affidavit says.

Sarvis had his first appearance in Laramie County Circuit Court on Tuesday, and a preliminary hearing was set for 9 a.m. Jan. 23.

Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.