(Lander, WY) – On June 23rd, 38-year-old Riverton resident Mario Mills was officially sentenced to “no less than 20 and no more than 25 years” of imprisonment, for the March 26th, 2020, murder of 37-year-old Trevor Bartlett.
Mills, represented by Defense Attorney Robert Oldham, Donald Fuller, and Ryan Semerad, was initially convicted on March 12th after a week-long jury trial, with the Honorable Judge Jason Conder presiding.
Mills had reportedly “fired a single gunshot” at Bartlett’s left temple after Bartlett had “challenged” Mario to “kill him” several times during the evening of March 25th, 2020.
“Bartlett was in a ‘dark place’ and had told M. Mills he wanted to die,” according to a court document summary from Mills’ conversation with Officers.
The State, represented by prosecuting Fremont County Attorney Patrick LeBrun and Deputy Attorney Dan Stebner, originally aimed to charge Mills with murder in the 1st degree.
However, after a testimony on Mills’ behalf from Bartlett’s mother, consideration of the mens’ 20+ year friendship, and various testimonies from expert witnesses, the court and jury of 12 decided that Mills “purposefully and maliciously but without premeditation killed Bartlett,” and decided upon the lesser charge.
Mills will now serve a 20-25 year prison sentence for murder in the 2nd degree.
To read more on County 10’s coverage on the development of this case, click here.