All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
(Riverton, WY) – 25-year-old Riverton man Sterling Black pled “not guilty” to the charge of 2nd degree murder at his arraignment hearing held today, April 9, in relation to an incident involving a deceased individual found in a Riverton hotel room on March 7.
The hearing was overseen by the Honorable Judge Jason Conder in Lander’s District Court, with Tim Hancock representing the State, and Zachary Mahlum acting as Defense.
A jury trial has been set for July 20.
Court documents state that on March 7, at approximately 6:59 AM, Riverton dispatch received a report from a caller who shared that a juvenile subject had found their mother possibly unconscious in the hotel room they were staying in, and that the juvenile had seen “lots of blood.”
Officers who arrived on scene soon determined that the subject was deceased, and later identified her as 24-year-old Angelina Bell. Officers also located a spent 9mm bullet casing in the toilet bowl, and later found two empty firearm magazines, but no firearm, in a plastic gun case. Investigators noted in the affidavit that the spent casing “appeared to be consistent with the size of the 9mm cartridge.”
The Fremont County Coroner soon arrived on scene, at which point an entry wound was located on the deceased’s head, “believed to have been caused by a firearm,” and “consistent in size with a 9mm bullet.” Police soon found a single fired bullet on the bathroom floor. The affidavit noted that investigators determined the gunshot wound was likely not self-inflicted, and that the deceased was likely “several inches up to two feet” away from the gun when it was fired. Additionally, “signs of alcohol and drug use” were located in the bathroom.
Officers had also been informed by hotel staff that a male, later identified as Black, had left the room around 5:15 AM. A vehicle registered to Black was parked outside the hotel room as well, but no keys were located in the room, court documents state.
Police soon obtained a search warrant for the room and also reviewed security camera footage from the hotel. The footage revealed Black leaving the hotel that morning between 5:15 and 5:21 AM, and also showed Black entering the hotel the night before at around 11 PM, along with Bell and the juvenile. Black later left around 2:41 AM for “an unknown amount of time” before returning to the room sometime before 5:15 AM.
Court documents go on to state that investigators learned from hotel staff that Bell had been seen with a black eye “on at least one occasion,” and staff suspected that Black and Bell had been intoxicated “on a number of contacts” during their stay at the hotel since mid February. Police soon learned through a “neighborhood canvass” that no shouting or arguing had been heard the morning of the altercation.
Family members “provided consistent statements about abuse” between Black and Bell since at least early January 2025, the affidavit continues, with some recounting that Bell “told them on multiple occasions” that Black had “hit her.” They also noted that they knew Black owned a gun and had seen him with it.
At approximately 4:08 PM that same day, Black turned himself in to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and he was later arrested on a warrant and transported to the Riverton Police Department for booking.
Officers made contact with Black’s father, Sterling Sr., who stated that he had found Black in an abandoned trailer on his property, where he also later discovered a gun. Sterling Sr. had Black place the gun inside a plastic bag, which was later turned over to law enforcement. The serial number on the gun, a black SAR 9 semiauto, matched the number on the gun case found earlier in the hotel room. The affidavit noted that Sterling Sr. had told Black to “do what is right” before he ultimately turned himself in.
The Coroner’s case docket for Bell, obtained by County 10, was later released on April 3, which stated the manner of death was a homicide, caused by a “perforating gunshot wound to the head.” No relevant toxicology was listed in the report.
Following today’s arraignment, a jury trial has been scheduled for July 20.
A murder in the 2nd degree charge carries a maximum punishment of no less than 20 years imprisonment.
County 10 will provide updates on the case, which can be viewed here.