Latest from Jen Kocher
Big Piney Man Faces 260 Years In Prison For Possession, Delivery of Child Pornography
A Big Piney man who allegedly went by the display name of "wyonaked" in an internet chat room was caught up in a sting where he was arrested on 24 counts of possession and distribution of child pornography. He faces up to 264 years in prison.
Jen KocherJuly 17, 2024
Wyoming Twins On Mission To Unravel Deaths Of 'Motel Mike' And 'Pine Bluffs Pete'
Megan McWilliams and Ashley Kroner are twins and genealogists who investigate some of the region's coldest cold cases and missing people mysteries. The Wyoming women are now working to unravel the decades-old deaths of "Motel Mike" and "Pine Bluffs Pete."
Jen KocherJuly 14, 2024
Are We Dating The Same Guy? Wyoming Women Use Facebook To Avoid Dating Disasters
A Wyoming woman created “Are We Dating The Same Guy 307” Facebook page in 2023 as a forum for women to share information about the statewide dating scene and to help expose cheaters. In less than 18 months, it has become a very active page with more than 10,000 members.
Jen KocherJuly 14, 2024
Gillette Teen Tops 155 MPH In Mustang While Running From Cops
A Gillette teen ran from cops at more than 155 mph Wednesday night, then hid in a field before he was arrested.
Jen KocherJuly 12, 2024
Scam Uses Fake Lost Wyoming Kid To Prey On Sympathies Of Potential Victims
A sad Facebook post in southwest Wyoming asks people to help reunite a lost little boy with his mom. Problem is, it’s a made-up sob story to exploit people with good hearts, says the Rock Springs Police Department.
Jen KocherJuly 12, 2024
Authorities Investigating What Caused Idaho Woman’s Car To Drive Off 60-Foot Cliff
Many questions remain as officials investigate the death of an Idaho woman in Grand Teton National Park. Among those is what caused her car to drive off a 60-foot cliff and plunge into a river?
Jen KocherJuly 11, 2024
In Brief: Body Found Wrapped In Tarp At Mirror Lake Investigated As Homicide
An elderly man found wrapped in tarp near Medicine Bow Peak still has not been identified. It’s being investigated as a homicide, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office said on Tuesday.
Jen KocherJuly 09, 2024
Gillette Brothers Arrested For Domestic Assault On Same Night
Two Gillette brothers pleaded not guilty Monday to separate but related domestic assault charges. They were arrested within an hour of each other Sunday.
Jen KocherJuly 09, 2024
Missing Idaho Woman Found Dead In Car In Teton National Park River
An Idaho woman who disappeared June 2 while driving home from Buffalo, Wyoming, has been found dead in her car in a Teton National Park river. The car was found Sunday, and officials confirmed Tuesday Laura Lane was inside.
Jen KocherJuly 09, 2024
In Brief: Mirror Lake Reopened After Body Discovered July 4
The popular Mirror Lake Picnic and Fishing Site near the base of Medicine Bow Peak in Wyoming’s Snowy Range reopened Saturday morning after the discovery of a body in the area Thursday.
Jen KocherJuly 06, 2024
New Leads In The Disappearance Of Moorcroft, Wyoming, Man Missing Now For 5 Years
It’s been nearly five years since Chance Englebert vanished during a holiday visit to see his in-laws in Nebraska. As his family gets ready to mark the unhappy anniversary, new leads have emerged that may help shed light on the Moorcroft, Wyoming, man’s disappearance.
Jen KocherJune 30, 2024
For 37 Years, Lander Therapist Did What Nobody Else Would: Treat Sex Offenders
For 37 years, Wyoming therapist Gary Curtis counseled a segment of the population nearly nobody else would — sex offenders.
Jen KocherJune 30, 2024
When People Disappear In Yellowstone National Park, Some Are Never Found
Despite huge acreage and treacherous terrain, most missing persons at Yellowstone National Park are found. But a small number of disappearances have never been solved. The reasons why are as vast as the park.
Jen KocherJune 29, 2024
Gillette Man Destroys Porsche In High-Speed Crash; 3rd DUI In 4 Years
A Gillette man has been charged with his third DUI in four years after rolling his Porsche Sunday night. He reportedly was driving into traffic and on sidewalks in downtown Gillette before rolling the vehicle more than 350 feet.
Jen KocherJune 19, 2024
Wyoming Family May Never Get Justice For Abused 14-Month-Old Son
A Wyoming couple has been waiting for justice after their 14-month-old toddler was allegedly beaten at a Hot Springs County ranch. Their wait may never come to an end because of the inherent challenges of proving a crime even happened.
Jen KocherJune 16, 2024
Campbell County Teen Says He Was ‘Too Angry To Sleep’ When He Stabbed Mom
A 17-year-old Campbell County teen was charged as an adult on Wednesday with attempted first-degree murder for allegedly stabbing his mother with a 13.5-inch knife earlier in the week. He told police, he was “too angry to sleep.”
Jen KocherJune 13, 2024
Family, Friends Desperate To Find Woman Who Disappeared In Wyoming
The friends and family of an Idaho woman are desperate to find her after she suddenly disappeared while driving through Wyoming following an extended visit in Buffalo. Her digital trail ends near Grand Teton National Park.
Jen KocherJune 12, 2024
Missing Wyoming Woman’s Car Found Abandoned 1,100 Miles Away, But No Clue About Her
More than seven months after a Wheatland woman went missing, her car has been found abandoned 1,100 miles away in California, but there’s no clue where she might be.
Jen KocherJune 09, 2024
Greybull Man To Be Wyoming’s First Manslaughter Conviction For Fentanyl-Laced Drugs
If a judge accepts his guilty plea, a Greybull man will be the first person in Wyoming convicted of selling drugs that led to the death of another person.
Jen KocherJune 07, 2024
Daughter Of Wyoming Tribal Murder Victim Says Justice Goes Beyond A Conviction
The daughter of a Wind River Reservation man murdered in Lander, Wyoming, in April questions what it means to get justice for her father and others. One thing she does know: It’s goes far beyond a court conviction.
Jen KocherJune 02, 2024
Five Years After Wyoming Man Disappeared, New Push On To Find Him
It’s been five years since Casper resident Jose Alfredo Mendoza disappeared and although the trail is cold, local investigators are making a new push to find him.
Jen KocherMay 31, 2024
Acts Of Kindness: Gillette Teens Rescue Baby Birds, Wildlife Rehabber Does The Rest
The easy part for two Gillette teens was rescuing the baby birds who were motherless and appeared doomed. But then what? Thankfully, one of two certified mammal wildlife rehabbers in Wyoming lived in Gillette and she took care of the rest.
Jen KocherMay 27, 2024
Family Desperate To Find Missing Cheyenne Woman Who May Have Had Mental Emergency
The family of 38-year-old Shanna Brubaker, who’s been missing from her Cheyenne home since April 29 and may be experiencing a mental health emergency, is desperate to find her. The family is asking for the public's help.
Jen KocherMay 26, 2024
Wyoming Rescue Dog From The Kindness Ranch Unites Politicians On Capitol Hill
Uno, one of 4,000 beagles rescued from an animal research facility, united Capitol Hill with his message of treating animals humanely. Uno lives at Wyoming's Kindness Ranch, the only facility in the nation to take in only former research animals.
Jen KocherMay 18, 2024
Gillette Sheep Drive Stops Traffic, Revives Ranching Tradition
Mike Miller drove about 150 ewes and lambs through Gillette on Saturday, marking the first time in decades the area’s ranching tradition was revived with a sheep trail, stopping traffic and delighting locals.
Jen KocherMay 12, 2024
Wyoming Man Honored For Rescuing Hundreds Of Girls From Illegal Sex Tourism
Afton's Tyler Schwab has been honored by the Columbian government for helping more than 3,000 children, and rescuing hundreds, from American pedophiles. His Wyoming-based organization targets Americans who travel to Colombia to have sex with minors.
Jen KocherMay 04, 2024
Police, Daughter Want Answers in 35-Year-Old Cold Case of Missing Wyoming Mother
Kathleen Pehringer disappeared from her Riverton home 35 years ago, and while investigators say they have a person of interest, a daughter left behind is desperate for answers to one of Wyoming’s decades-old cold cases.
Jen KocherApril 20, 2024
AI A New Cyber Threat To Wyomingites, Who Were Scammed Out Of $14 Million
Last year, Wyoming residents were bilked out of nearly $14 million in internet scams with people over 60 taking the hardest hit. Extortion accounted for the greatest number of crimes, followed by tech support scams and non-delivery of paid goods and services.
Jen KocherApril 14, 2024
Wyoming Cadets Among Nation’s Elite At Grueling Death March Race
ROTC cadets from the University of Wyoming finished at or near the top of more than 5,000 competitors in the grueling annual Bataan Memorial Death March competition in New Mexico.
Jen KocherApril 07, 2024
Family, Friends of Missing 27-Year-Old Cheyenne Man Desperate for Answers
Nearly two weeks after a 27-year-old Cheyenne man disappeared, his family and friends are desperate for answers about what happened to him. They fear his troubles with addiction may have put him at odds with the wrong people.
Jen KocherApril 05, 2024
Boyfriend Of Missing Wyoming Woman Subject Of New Investigation
The boyfriend of a Wyoming woman missing for more than two years remains a “person of interest” in her disappearance. Meanwhile, Nathan Hightman is in prison for unrelated crimes and is the subject of a new investigation.
Jen KocherApril 03, 2024
Nearly 2 Years After Laramie Man’s Body Found, Death Still A Mystery
A coroner’s report released last week shows that almost two years after a 39-year-old Laramie man went missing and months after his remains were found, how he died remains a mystery.
Jen KocherApril 02, 2024
Wyoming Families Desperate For Answers Put Hope In New Cold-Case Laws
A pair of new laws is giving Wyoming families of cold-case victims desperate for answers guarded hope that more money, public scrutiny can break cases.
Jen KocherApril 02, 2024
Crook County Residents Say Speed Racers On Rural Roads Will Kill People
Crook County residents say some drivers treat unpaved, winding county roads like the autobahn and will result in children getting killed. County commissioners say the Legislature has taken away their authority to set their own speed limits.
Jen KocherMarch 31, 2024
Internet Crimes Against Wyoming Children Surge, Up 60% So Far This Year
Internet crimes against children in Wyoming continues to grow at a brisk pace, up 40% in 2023 and already surging with 60% more reports in the first three months of 2024.
Jen KocherMarch 31, 2024
Wyoming’s Kindness Ranch Rescues 10 West Bank War Refugee Dogs
A few days ago, these 10 dogs were refugees in war-torn West Bank, shellshocked and some missing limbs. They were rescued last week by the Wyoming-based Kindness Ranch, a 1,000-acre animal sanctuary near Hartville.
Jen KocherMarch 24, 2024
Gillette Police Retire Biko, The ‘Michael Jordan’ Of Wyoming K-9 Officers
It's never easy for a K-9 police dog to retire. Biko, who Gillette police call the 'Michael Jordan' of crime dogs, is adjusting to being a family dog but his handler says Biko's whining tugs on his heartstrings as he heads out the door to work.
Jen KocherMarch 16, 2024
Summer Of Bundy: Investigator On Quest To Find Bodies Of Ted Bundy's Utah Victims
Private investigator Jason Jensen is planning a “Summer of Bundy,” in conjunction with the Cold Case Coalition, to look for the gravesites of four Utah women who serial killer Ted Bundy admitted to killing and burying there and in Colorado.
Jen KocherMarch 10, 2024
Wyoming Searchers Help Find Shoes That Lead To Body Of Missing Man
A search team from Gillette helped uncover a pair of hiking boots last weekend that led law enforcement to the discovery of a dead body that is likely that of a missing Colorado man, Nick Salvagni. His father says he is certain that it's his son.
Jen KocherMarch 09, 2024
Gillette Teen Charged As Adult For Allegedly Bringing Gun To School
A Gillette 16-year-old who had been expelled from Campbell County High School, then allegedly snuck back in and flashed a handgun, has been charged as an adult and could face more than six years in prison.
Jen KocherMarch 08, 2024
Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken Is One Of The Youngest Sheriffs In Wyoming History
It was a hunting trip that hooked Alex Bakken on the Rocky Mountain West. So right out of college he moved to Wyoming and got into law enforcement. 10 years later, he became Carbon County's sheriff -- one of the youngest ever -- and says he'll never leave Wyoming.
Jen KocherMarch 04, 2024
Rock Springs Police Dust Off 25-Year-Old Cold Case: Who Killed Davida Peterson?
It’s been 25 years since Davida Peterson was shot in the head while working at a Rock Springs propane shop. A new detective has been assigned to dust off the unsolved murder and believes missing pieces to the puzzle are out there in the community.
Jen KocherMarch 02, 2024
What Happened to Irene Gakwa? Two Years Later, Family Still Waiting for Answers
Irene Gakwa disappeared from the home she shared with her live-in boyfriend in Gillette, Nathan Hightman, in late February 2022. Hightman, who is considered by police to be a person of interest in her disappearance, is in state prison for three felonies related to financial crimes against Gakwa.
Jen KocherFebruary 24, 2024
Wyoming Rates Of Murdered, Missing Indigenous Peoples Among Highest In US
New data from the state’s Missing and Murdered People Task Force released Wednesday shows Wyoming rates of Indigenous cases among highest in the U.S.
Jen KocherFebruary 22, 2024
Nightmare Ordeal Over For Riverton Dad After Daughters Found In Florida With Mom
A nightmare ordeal is over for a Riverton man whose young daughters disappeared for more than two weeks. Brian Cowart was reunited with his daughters after they were found in Florida with their mother, who was arrested on Friday. “I’m used to talking to them every day,” he said. “It’s been really, really hard.”
Jen KocherFebruary 18, 2024
2 Years After Vanishing, New Investigation Into Boyfriend Of Irene Gakwa
It’s been two years since Irene Gakwa, a nursing student from Kenya, disappeared from her home in Gillette. A neighboring law enforcement agency in Wyoming has opened a new investigation into her live-in boyfriend.
Jen KocherFebruary 18, 2024
Bills To Give $300,000 To Solve Wyoming Cold Case Crimes Pass Committee
A pair of bills that would give the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation $300,000 to focus on solving cold case crimes were passed by the Judicial Committee on Friday.
Jen KocherFebruary 16, 2024
Proposal To Give $150,000 To Help Solve 150 Wyoming Cold Cases Advances
A bill that would allocate $150,000 to develop and maintain a Wyoming database for the estimated 150 unsolved cold cases dating back to 1972 has advanced to committee.
Jen KocherFebruary 13, 2024
Families of Wyoming’s Missing and Murdered Hope For More Cold Case Funds
86-year-old Ernie Van Buskirk has one wish before he dies: find out what happened to his son. His case remains one of roughly 150 estimated unsolved cases throughout the state, dating back to 1965. He is hoping the legislature provides more money to help with cold cases.
Jen KocherFebruary 11, 2024
Gillette Diesel Mechanic Hoping To Get On List For Rare Heart-Lung Transplant
Gillette's Justin Rushing doesn’t look like a guy who needs a heart and lung transplant. The 36-year-old, who loves hunting and his family, spends his days working as a diesel mechanic. But he's running out of time and working to get on the list.
Jen KocherFebruary 10, 2024
Too Much Business And No Workers: Sundance, Wyoming Repair Shop Closes After 42 Years
Mike Frolander had to close his Sundance custom repair shop after 42 years because he couldn't find the skilled workers to keep it open. Frolander, like many other small-town employers in rural Wyoming, is up against a labor shortage in a state with a 3% unemployment rate.
Jen KocherFebruary 03, 2024
Nearly 40 Years After Wyoming Man Went Missing, Family Copes With Proof Of His Death
A Canadian genealogist found a key puzzle piece in the decades-old search for a missing Rawlins man, who disappeared in 1985 and apparently died two years later in a Seattle building fire. His elderly parents received the news last weekend.
Jen KocherFebruary 03, 2024
Are You Hackable? If You Live In Wyoming, The Data Says Probably
Wyoming ranks among the worst states when it comes to getting hacked and falling for cybersecurity scams. The non-profit watchdog group, CyberWyoming, says It doesn’t pay to be a trusting person on the internet.
Jen KocherJanuary 28, 2024
Gillette Realtor Pleads Not Guilty To Stealing Identities To Collect Commissions
Gillette Realtor Tami Hinson pleaded not guilty on Friday to charges she forged the signatures of former employees on sales of foreclosed properties to collect higher commissions. She faces six felony charges, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Jen KocherJanuary 26, 2024
Manslaughter Charge For Greybull Fentanyl Dealer Accused Of Killing Cody Man
A Greybull man charged with selling fentanyl-laced pills that led to the overdose death of a Cody man was bound over to district court Thursday on new charges of manslaughter and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance.
Jen KocherJanuary 19, 2024
Gillette Realtor Who Allegedly Had Identity Stolen By Boss Slapped With Protection Order
The Gillette Realtor who uncovered an alleged scheme where his former boss, Tami Hinson, forged his signature to illegally collect commissions has been slapped with a protection order for his efforts. “The guilty always think it’s crazy when the just seek justice,” he said.
Jen KocherJanuary 19, 2024
Manslaughter Charges For Wyoming Man Who Sold Deadly Fentanyl-Laced Pills
A Greybull man convicted of four felonies for delivery and possession of counterfeit Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl that killed 25-year-old Jordan Jackson of Cody, faces new manslaughter charges in neighboring Park County related to Jackson’s death.
Jen KocherJanuary 12, 2024
Wyoming’s Kindness Ranch Rescues New Batch Of Beagles; Effort Expands To China Meat Market
The Kindness Ranch near Hartville has rescued another batch of lab-testing beagles from Kansas City. They also had their first international save when they rescued four beagles from an underground meat market in China.
Jen KocherOctober 16, 2023
Wyoming’s Kindness Ranch Saves Beagles from Illegal Chinese Meat Trade
The Fourth of July was Independence Day for four beagles that gained their freedom after being rescued from the underground Chinese meat trade by Kindness Ranch, a Wyoming animal sanctuary.
Jen KocherJuly 04, 2023
Wyoming People: Tyler Schwab Of Afton Dedicates Life To Rescuing Sex-Trafficked Girls
After seeing young girls being sex-trafficked in Colombia, Tyler Schwab of Afton, Wyoming, sold everything he owned to go back and rescue them.
Jen KocherJune 18, 2023
Remains found in Carbon County Thought to be Those of Missing Thermopolis Veteran
Humans remains found by shed antler hunters near the Pedro Mountains are likely those of missing Thermopolis man, John Hammond.
Jen KocherMay 25, 2023
Head-On Crash Changed Life For Former Wyoming Undersheriff To Fight Human Trafficking
Justin Scott had to retire as a Wyoming sheriff’s deputy after a high-speed pursuit and head-on crash, but he’s still on the frontlines as head of a new human trafficking task force.
Jen KocherMay 14, 2023
Busting Child Pornographers And Sex Traffickers In Wyoming A Never-Ending Battle
Agents with Wyoming's Internet Crimes Against Children task force face an uphill battle against evil every day. At a conference last week in Casper, they discussed the case of a 33-year-old Natrona County resident who was creating child pornography with a 9-month-old baby at the direction of an Illinois man.
Jen KocherMay 10, 2023
Most Sex Trafficking In Wyoming Is Family, Experts Say
To his mother, Charlie Jones was a commodity. His exploitation began when he was 8. His mother and former stepfather were drug addicts who belonged to a motorcycle gang in New England. When they ended up doing the drugs they were supposed to sell and were on the hook to the gang, his mother offered up Jones in exchange.
Jen KocherMay 08, 2023
Sex Predator Targeting Their Children Was Life-Changing For Couple Now On Anti-Human Trafficking Crusade
A Texas couple sold their house to educate people about the growing dangers of human trafficking and sex predators. They’ve brought their unique virtual reality tool to Wyoming this week
Jen KocherMay 04, 2023
Exotic Gillette Pet Store Cited For Animal Neglect
The owners of an exotic pet store in Gillette received three citations Wednesday for animal neglect. Customers told Cowboy State Daily the animals lived in "crammed" and "horrible" conditions.
Jen KocherApril 12, 2023
Fiancé of Missing Kenyan Irene Gakwa Pleads Guilty to Felony, Financial Crimes
The fiancé of missing Kenyan woman Irene Gakwa pleaded guilty to three of the five felonies related to crimes against her in Campbell County District Court on Tuesday afternoon.
Jen KocherMarch 29, 2023
Tired Of Suicides, Wyoming Special Ops Vet On A New Mission To Save Fellow Veterans
Saying hes sick of watching fellow veterans die, Casper Special Ops vet Michael Watts sheds tears as he talks about his struggles post-military service. Its an exercise he says thats saving himself, and he hopes others.
Jen KocherMarch 07, 2023
‘It Could Happen to Anyone’: Wyoming Teen Was Lured, Beaten And Sex Trafficked
14 years after being groomed and sex trafficked by a man from another state, a 31-year-old Wyoming woman told Cowboy State Daily that living in a small town doesnt insulate potential victims from the dangers of the Internet.
Jen KocherFebruary 07, 2023
Grandma Of Missing Moorcroft Man Adds $200,000 To Reward Money
The grandmother of a Moorcroft man who disappeared during a family visit in Nebraska hasnt given up hope as she donated $200,000 in reward money to encourage people to come forward.
Jen KocherDecember 20, 2022
Wyoming Missing Person Authorities Warn Of Online Missing Teen Scam
Desperate-sounding posts about a missing teen named Tyler is likely a scam designed to prey upon peoples good natures and desire to help, says the founder of Missing People of Wyoming.
Jen KocherNovember 14, 2022
EXCLUSIVE: Wyoming Teens Among Hundreds Victimized In ‘Prolific And Malicious’ International Sextortion
Bangladeshi man arrested for sextorting hundreds of teens, including at least six in Wyoming, used social media to target, threaten and exploit his victims, federal indictment says.
Jen KocherOctober 07, 2022
Girlfriend of Missing Laramie Man Asks Public for Help
Chris Mauk, who is missing his left leg from a fireworks injury six years ago, does not have a prosthetic leg, his girlfriend said, and walks on crutches that often leave his hands blistered if hes on them for too long.
Jen KocherSeptember 01, 2022
Teton County’s Affordable Housing Crisis Is Case Study For State
Local and state government and non-profit entities are scrambling to provide affordable housing in the most expensive zip code in the country, Teton County, Wyoming.
Jen KocherAugust 26, 2022
Jackson Housing Crisis: Homes For Utility Workers Approved Despite Opposition
A plan to house energy company workers in Jackson so they can rapidly respond to power outages has been approved by Teton County Commissioners despite opposition from neighbors.
Jen KocherMay 26, 2022
There Is At Least One Working Pay Phone Left In Wyoming, But There’s Gotta Be More
Cowboy State Daily has tracked down at least one working pay phone left in the state of Wyoming. But there's gotta be more...
Jen KocherMay 25, 2022
Cowboy State Daily Welcomes Leo Wolfson To Team As State Government & Political Reporter
Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday announced the hire of Leo Wolfson, formerly of the Cody Enterprise, to cover state government and politics effective immediately.
Jen KocherApril 27, 2022
Snowstorm Provides Relief For Ranchers Plagued By Drought, But Comes At A Cost In Lost Livestock
Record snowfall in northeast Wyoming over the weekend provided much-needed relief for ranchers hard hit by drought, though for some, came at a hefty cost in lost livestock and repairs following the storm.
Jen KocherApril 26, 2022
Kindness Ranch Pet Of The Week: Saturday, April 2, 2022
The new Kindness Ranch beagle rescues from the breeding facility in Virginia will be ready for adoption by the end of April.
Jen KocherApril 04, 2022
Wyoming Kindness Ranch Pet of the Week
Wyatt is a big, beautiful 11-year-old cat patiently waiting for his forever home.
Jen KocherFebruary 11, 2022
Kindness Ranch Pet Of The Week
Claus lives at the Kindness Ranch animal sanctuary and was rescued from animal testing and research labs.
Jen KocherJanuary 29, 2022
Wyoming Man Was Sex-Trafficked Several Times As Boy By Family To Pay Debts; Sadly, Not Unusual
Both his mother and stepfather took drugs and got in financial trouble with a motorcycle gang. To pay off their debts, his mother offered up Charlie, then 8 years old.
Jen KocherJanuary 27, 2022
Kindness Ranch: Pet of the Week
Thirteen beagles will be up for adoption in January at the Kindness Ranch.
Jen KocherDecember 25, 2021
Casper Man’s Family Searching Since Summer 2020 With No Answers
The disappearance of a Casper man in July 2020 is bringing to the forefront the problems of finding people with mental illness who are reported missing.
Jen KocherDecember 14, 2021