Cold Cases

Wyoming law enforcement agencies are working cooperatively on unsolved cases located throughout the State of Wyoming. A brief summary of each case and unsolved homicide case is provided. Anyone with information regarding any of these cases is urged to contact the law enforcement agency of jurisdiction or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

Homicide, February 2003, Laramie County, Wyoming: Shawny Smith, a 32-year-old mother of two living in Cheyenne, was beaten and raped. In February 2003, her body was found in a farmer's field in Weld County, Colorado. Anyone with information regarding the possible suspect or vehicle is requested to call the Laramie County Sheriffs Department at
(307
) 633-4700 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, October 2001, Mills, Natrona County, Wyoming. On October 20, 2001, in the early morning hours, a Mills Police Officer, on patrol in the eastern portion of Mills, Wyoming, observed a person laying in the parking lot of the Wagon Wheel Roller Skating Rink, 305 Vanhorn Avenue, Mills, Wyoming. Upon approaching the subject, the officer discovered 27 year old Daniel "Danny" Moser laying face down in the parking lot with life threatening injuries. Daniel Moser was transported the Wyoming Medical Center, but succumbed to the injuries he sustained. Danny Moser was a resident of the neighboring City of Casper, Wyoming, and had visited Casper bars on the night before the murder. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at 307-777-7181.

Homicide, June 21, 2001, Laramie County, Wyoming: On June 21, 2001, an unknown male suspect shot James Kamai to death on West College Drive approximately 75 yards west of the South Greeley Highway. Kamai and the suspect may have been involved in a traffic dispute at the time of the murder. Based on witness information, the department is continuing to look for three possible vehicles used by the suspect: a small black pickup with an older white camper shell, the pickup had gray primer spots on the passenger door and possibly on the passenger side; a small red pickup with a white camper shell; and a normal-size black pickup with gray primer spots on the passenger door and possibly on the passenger side. Anyone with information regarding the possible suspect or vehicle is requested to call the Laramie County Sheriffs Department at 307-633-4700 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, June 4, 1999, Platte County, Wyoming: On June 4th, 1999, the body of Larry Peterson, age 52, was discovered fatally wounded at a cabin located approximately fifteen miles west of Wheatland, Wyoming on Palmer Canyon Road. The investigation has disclosed Peterson was shot and killed on the evening of June 4th, shortly after arriving at the cabin. Anyone with information regarding this matter please contact the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181 or the Platte County Sheriff's Office at (307) 322-2331.

Missing Person/Unsolved Case, July 24, 1997, Fremont County, Wyoming: On July 24, 1997, Amy Wroe Bechtel, age 24, disappeared while jogging the Loop Road area between Lander and South Pass in Fremont County, Wyoming. Her car was found parked along the road. An extensive search of the area has failed to yield clues as to her location. Amy Wroe Bechtel is a white female, 115 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information about Amy Bechtel's disappearance is urged to contact the Fremont County Sheriff's Office at (307) 332-1000, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Amy has been declared legally deceased as of 2004.

Homicide, July 13, 1990, Sheridan County, Wyoming: On July 13, 1990, the body of Jackie Lee McLean, age 47, was found near mile marker 27 on the east side of Interstate 90 in Sheridan County, Wyoming. He had been shot eight times in the head. McLean was last seen in Rapid City, South Dakota on July 8, 1990. He had left Rapid City for Hill City, South Dakota. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Sheridan County Sheriff's Office at (307) 672-3455 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Missing Person/Unsolved Case, April 17, 1989, Fremont County, Wyoming: Kathleen Pehringer, age 42 at the time of disappearance, 74 at this time, was last seen on April 17, 1989 in Riverton but has not been seen since. She is reported to be a white female, approximately 5'2" with brown eyes and brown hair at the time of disappearance. Kathleen went missing from her residence and hasn't been seen since. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Fremont County Sheriff's Office at (307) 332-1000 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Kathleen has been declared legally deceased in May 1998.

Homicide, October 18, 1988, Jackson County, Colorado and Carbon County, Wyoming: On October 18, 1988, the victim was found on Platte River Road, East of Colorado State Route 125, approximately 17 miles north of Walden, Jackson County, Colorado. The victim had multiple gun shot wounds to the chest, back and a single gunshot wound to the head. Subsequent investigation indicates the victim may have been killed in Carbon County, Wyoming and the body left in Colorado. No identification was found on the body and attempts to identify the victim through missing persons, fingerprints, photographs and information flyers have been unsuccessful. The victim is a white male, 140-150 pounds, brown hair and brown eyes, approximately 21 to 31 years of age. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Jackson County, Colorado, Sheriff's Office at (303) 723-4242, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation at (303) 239-4211, the Carbon County Wyoming Sheriff's Office at (307) 324 2776, or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, August 6, 1981, Converse County, Wyoming: On August 6, 1981, Belinda May Grantham, age 20, was found in the North Platte River near a bridge in Glenrock, Converse County, Wyoming. She had a rope tied around her neck weighted to a rock. She had been strangled. She was last seen at the Natrona County Fair in Casper, Wyoming. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Converse County Sheriff's Office at (307) 358-4700 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, July, 1981, Sweetwater County, Wyoming On July 1, 1981, 55 year old L.G. Strowbridge was found murdered beneath the east bound lane of I-80 at the Pilot Butte exit in Rock Springs. He was a transient traveling east to return to his home state of Michigan at the time of his death. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Rock Springs Police Department at (307) 352-1575 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, January 31, 1981, Campbell County, Wyoming:

On January 31, 1981, Margaret Van Buren was kidnapped but her body was not found until two years later. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Campbell County Sheriff's Office at (307) 682-7271, or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, June, 1980, Sweetwater County, Wyoming On June 4, 1980, 65 year old Lee Romero, was murdered by a drive by around 3:00am near Bunning Park in Rock Springs. The vehicle driver stated two unknown Hispanic males pulled up next to them in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo or similar car, fired several rounds and fled the scene. The vehicle was driven by a blonde female. Anyone with any information on this case is requested to contact the Rock Springs Police Department at (307) 352-1575 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, August, 1979, Sweetwater County, Wyoming (Robert Miller) On August 5, 1979 at about 3:45 A.M. twenty-six year old Robert Miller was shot outside the A&D Saloon on North Front Street in Rock Springs after a verbal altercation in the street. Witnesses at the scene gave the impression that Miller and his assailant were getting along moments before the argument and subsequent shooting, implying that the shooter might have been an acquaintance of Miller's. Anyone with information is requested to contact the Rock Springs Police Department at (307) 352-1575 or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, January 25, 1979, Weston County, Wyoming: On the morning of January 25, 1979, Charles Norton was found deceased at the Peerless Bar in Newcastle, Wyoming. Norton had been severely beaten with a pool cue. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Homicide, April 15, 1978, Platte County, Wyoming: In February, 1978, Stella Ellen McClean, age 45, a resident of Gering, Nebraska, disappeared at a restaurant in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Her decapitated body was found near Interstate 25 in Platte County, Wyoming on April 15, 1978, approximately two (2) miles North of Wheatland, Wyoming. No clothing or identification was found with the body. In March, 1983, the body was identified as that of Stella McClean. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact the Platte County Sheriff's Office at (307) 322-2331, Scottsbluff County, Nebraska, Sheriff's Office at (308) 436-6667, the Nebraska State Patrol at (308 632-1211, or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation at (307) 777-7181.

Please contact the law enforcement agency of jurisdiction listed for each case or the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation if you have information about any of these cases.