All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Lander, WY) – Lander man Evan Denevan’s January 9 death during a bar altercation has been ruled a homicide, according to the Fremont County Coroner’s verdict and case docket made available today, March 3.
The “manner of death” was listed as “homicide” in the report, with the “cause of death” as “restraint with neck compression during a physical altercation.” No relevant toxicology was listed in the report.
Denevan’s death stems from a January 9 altercation at a bar in Lander, involving three family members who were subsequently charged: Jesse, Justin, and Richard Dollard. The altercation began as a verbal argument between Jesse and Denevan, which soon became physical when Jesse’s father, Justin, intervened. Richard Dollard, a certified law enforcement officer with the Bureau of Land Management and Justin’s brother, then also intervened and put Denevan in a “rear naked choke hold,” which court documents state he held for an “estimated 26-27 seconds.” (Click here for a more detailed account of the bar fight as described in the original affidavit court document.)
Following the incident and initial investigation, Richard was charged with murder in the second degree, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment (and no less than 20 years), as well as the alternative charge of voluntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of no more than 20 years imprisonment.
Justin and Jesse were both charged with accessory before the fact to murder in the second degree, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment (and no less than 20 years), as well as accessory before the fact to manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of no more than 20 years imprisonment.
(Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Micah Wyatt explained the alternative charges thusly: “The State recognizes that some common perception of adding the option for a manslaughter charge could appear to be an open door to take an easy out with a plea deal agreement. However, the State’s reasoning in including it in this case was to ensure that, should the matter proceed to trial by jury, the State would be certain to secure a conviction.”)
After the case was bound from Circuit to District Court, an amended information was filed on February 3, and the accessory before the fact to murder in the second degree charge was dismissed for Jesse, leaving accessory before the fact to manslaughter as his sole charge. The charges for Justin and Richard remain the same.
Each of the Dollards pled “not guilty” to their respective charges at their February 3 arraignment hearing, and their jury trials were scheduled for May 4. The May 4 jury trial date remains for Jesse and Justin, but a motion to extend the motions deadline and continue the jury trial setting was filed on February 6 on behalf of Richard, and his jury trial is now scheduled for July 6.
As of this writing, no plea agreements have been filed, and no change of plea hearings have been set, which is subject to change if that decision is made, but a notice of the Court’s intent to join the trials was filed on February 12. Each of the Dollards has since objected to the Court’s proposal to join their trials, while the State has expressed that it is not opposed to the joinder. No final decisions have yet been made in that regard.
County 10 will continue to provide updates on the case as they become available, which can be viewed here.