(Fremont County, WY) – The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has released the preliminary report today, March 12, concerning the reported March 4 death that took place in the Saint Stephens area.
The report, posted on the Wyoming Highway Patrol/WYDOT crash fatality information page, shares that the deceased has been identified as 18-year-old Wyoming resident Stephanie Bearstail.
“An unknown SUV was traveling westbound on Rendezvous Road,” the report informs. “The SUV passenger allegedly jumped out of the vehicle while it was in motion for unknown reasons.”
The incident occurred on WY 137 near milepost 1.5, at around 12:30 AM on March 4.
At this time, there are no further details provided in the narrative of the preliminary report. It should be noted that this is a preliminary report, and is not indicative of a complete investigation.
County 10 reached out to Fremont County Attorney Patrick LeBrun, who confirmed that the incident did not take place in county jurisdiction, meaning this is a federal investigation.
As of this writing, there are no filings in the U.S. District Court digital registry pertaining to this case.
Additionally, County 10 previously submitted for a public docket from the Coroner’s Office, which could still take weeks before becoming available.
Since initial reports of the incident surfaced, #JusticeForSteph posts have begun circulating online, and some locals have organized awareness rallies.
A benefit account for Bearstail’s family has also been set up at Central Bank and Trust locations in Riverton, Fort Washakie, and Lander, where donations can be dropped off in person. Donations can also be mailed to: CBT, P.O. Box 645, Fort Washakie WY, 82514. Questions regarding donations can be fielded to Daniel at CBT, Fort Washakie, 307-332-5978.
County 10 will continue to provide updates on the case as they become available.
(Editor’s Note: The BIA preliminary report incorrectly spelled Stephanie’s last name as “Bearstrail,” not “Bearstail.” The post has been corrected, and we apologize for their error.)