Man sought in Mississippi murder found in Shoshoni

CASPER — Shoshoni police on Saturday apprehended a man wanted for murder in Mississippi after learning he’d been living in a local motel. 

Kingduron Pyle Jr., was taken into custody late Saturday after he tried to flee from authorities, Shoshoni Police Chief Christopher Konija said in a statement. He was taken to Fremont County Detention Center. 

Pyle, 19, is wanted in connection to the Nov. 1 murder of Shad Reese in Columbus, Mississippi, according the Facebook page of the police department there. 

Authorities located Pyle after responding to a minor altercation in Shoshoni. During that investigation, police learned that a man wanted for murder in Mississippi was living at the Shoshoni Motel. 

Konija asked for help from the Fremont County Sheriff ’s Office, and authorities created a perimeter around the motel while investigating, Konija said in a statement. 

Officers found a photo of Pyle on the Columbus Police Department Facebook page, and various witnesses told them that person was living at the motel. They also found a recent article on the murder. 

When authorities tried to contact Pyle, they spotted a man running from the back of the motel, according to the statement. He was detained after a short foot chase. 

Police in Mississippi believe Reese was meeting with Pyle to illegally buy a gun prior to the shooting, according to The Dispatch, a newspaper in the area. 

Reese, 23, was found dead in a car in Columbus early on Nov. 1. Reese was found in the driver’s seat, according to Columbus police.

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Man sentenced to prison in girlfriend’s stabbing

CHEYENNE — A man who stabbed his then-girlfriend, resulting in severe blood loss, was sentenced to at least a quarter century behind bars Friday in Laramie County District Court.

District Judge Peter Froelicher sentenced Anthony Brassard to 25 to 35 years in prison. 

Brassard pleaded no contest in August to attempted second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement. 

Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove said during Brassard’s change-of-plea hearing that there was no doubt of his intent when he stabbed the victim. Manlove said photos from the scene were “horrific,” showing the large amount of blood lost by the victim. 

Making a statement during the hearing, the victim said she never expected to be betrayed in this way by someone who claimed to care about her. She said she lives in constant fear that something similar will happen to her again, or to someone she loves. 

The woman said she lost the person she used to be when Brassard tried to kill her, and she still has physical issues as a result of her severe injuries. 

“Please don’t make my survival worthless,” she said, addressing the judge.

Additional charges of felony interference with a peace officer (with injury), misdemeanor interference with a peace officer (resisting) and misdemeanor unlawful contact (touch) were dismissed at sentencing, per the plea agreement.

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More than 200 pounds of pot, THC wax seized in stop

GILLETTE — A random traffic stop south of town led to Sheriff’s deputies seizing more than 200 pounds of suspected marijuana and THC wax.

A 43-year-old California man was arrested Thursday afternoon on two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

Deputies estimate the combined street value of the seized drugs is about $2 million.

Brett Vaniderstine was driving a white 2019 Nissan Pathfinder on Highway 50. Sheriff’s Deputy Derek Lang caught him speeding 74 mph in a 70 mph zone near Lewis Road, about 10 miles south of Gillette.

Lang said the man’s behavior led him to investigate further.

“It was a random stop, and (Lang) saw indicators, and he called me,” said Deputy Trevor Osborne.

“He was very nervous. His travel plans didn’t make sense. He said he was returning a rental (car) from California to his friend in Wisconsin,” Lang said.

The man handed Osborne a vape cartridge with THC oil in it. He said that this was the reason he’d been acting nervous, and that he wasn’t under the influence and that he didn’t have anything else in the car, Osborne said.

“I went back and explained to him we’re going to be searching his vehicle,” Osborne said.

He was arrested on two felony possession charges and taken to the Campbell County jail. He was traveling with his 11-year-old son, who was placed in the care of the Department of Family Services.