(Lander, WY) – Michael Vigil was sentenced to 25-50 years imprisonment for second-degree murder at his sentencing hearing held yesterday, July 7.
The hearing was overseen by the Honorable Judge Jason Conder in Lander’s District Court, with Micah Wyatt acting as Prosecution and Ryan Semerad as Defense.
Vigil was charged and sentenced in relation to the April 2024 death of Warren Jorgenson.
The original complaint document on file explained that Vigil told law enforcement he beat Jorgenson to death with a metal bar after alleged sexual advances. Vigil had invited the victim into his residence for a drink and stated that after he denied the alleged advances, the victim sat on his bed and refused to leave, which Vigil said is what prompted the assault. (Judge Conder noted at the sentencing that those claims were retracted by Vigil at ensuing hearings, and that he gave the false account because he was “scared.”) Vigil then dragged the victim’s body onto his back porch and called the Lander Police Department the following morning when he woke up to inform them of what had transpired.
Vigil’s original preliminary hearing had to be continued into a second day back in April of 2024, because he “did not know what was going on” during the hearing when it began the previous day, according to comments made by the Honorable Judge Jefferson Coombs. Judge Coombs also questioned Vigil’s mental competency on the second day.
Although Vigil answered “yes” when asked if he suffered from a mental illness, the Defense stated there were “no concerns about competency” at that time, and that he would soon be receiving his medication.
That question of competency would come into play in later proceedings when Vigil went on to plead “not guilty by reason of mental illness” at his May 9, 2024, arraignment.
Judge Conder approved an order for a requested mental exam at that time, and a jury trial was set for September 16.
Vigil then underwent two competency evaluations, the second of which was conducted by a designated examiner chosen by the defendant after that request was approved by the court. Due to the length of time it took to conduct these evaluations, the Jury Trial was ultimately moved to January 13.
Court documents state the January 13 jury trial lasted six days, and ultimately resulted in a hung jury.
An “order discharging jury before verdict” document filed on January 21 states the following: “…after a reasonable time for deliberation, the jury, acting with due diligence and effort, was unable to reach a unanimous verdict, and there was no probability of their agreement, even with continued deliberations.”
That document also stated that “this discharge shall be without prejudice to further the prosecution of the case,” and concluded by setting a new jury trial for May 19.
That jury trial was later vacated following the submission of a plea agreement and the setting of an April 29 change of plea hearing. Vigil pled “guilty” at that hearing, with the agreement document stipulating that “the Defendant shall be sentenced to serve not less than 25 nor more than 50 years in the custody of the Wyoming Department of Corrections.”
At yesterday’s sentencing hearing, Warren’s daughters Cassandra, LynnLee, and Victoria, as well as his granddaughter GreenLee all spoke on his behalf.
Cassandra, the first to speak, described what it was like sitting through the “gruesome images” shown during the trial.
“No person should have to see that, but it’s the reality that we carry,” Cassandra commented.
She went on to state that Warren was “always giving” even during his troubles with addiction, which she said stemmed from “colonial trauma” and the “rugged individualism” mindset. “Colonial violence” and “forced assimilation” create “conditions for violence to exist” Cassandra added before sharing that she “honors (Warren) through sobriety.”
Despite the acts Vigil committed being “brutal,” Cassandra told Vigil that he “never got the help he needed” when he reached out to the VA to address his mental issues and alcohol addiction. “I hope you can find who you were meant to be,” Cassandra stated.
LynnLee addressed the court next, and told Vigil that Warren “left us in the most sickening way possible,” and that she couldn’t stand “hearing the public talk about it.”
“I don’t know how you can sleep at night… I have so much hate for you,” LynnLee shared while fighting back tears.
“You crushed our heart the day you took his life,” Victoria commented during her address. “I ask for no mercy for you because you had no mercy the day you beat him to death.”
Warren’s granddaughter GreenLee then addressed Vigil, and condemned him for the “cowardice” of “manipulating the narrative” and portraying Warren as “something he was not.”
“(You) publically humiliated him,” GreenLee commented before stating that she hopes Vigil’s actions “haunt (him) every day.”
After the family members spoke, the Prosecution took to the stand and discussed the “mitigating factors” that led to the plea agreement settling on the 25-50 year prison sentence (when second-degree murder holds a maximum of life).
Wyatt explained that in terms of the “low number” of the 25-year minimum sentence, these mitigating factors included Vigil’s mental condition, the fact that he was “cooperative in general” during the proceedings, that he had a limited criminal history, and that he ultimately provided the guilty plea, which meant not going to trial a second time.
In terms of the “high number” of 50 years, Wyatt cited the “aggravation” aspect of the assault, the treatment and “disrespect” of Warren’s body after Vigil’s actions, the lifetime of alcohol addiction, and the suffering of Warren’s family.
“There’s no returning Mr. Jorgenson to his family,” Wyatt later lamented after commenting that either the 25-year minimum and 50-year maximum sentence would mean Vigil wouldn’t be released until “old age” for his “purposeful” and “malicious” actions.
Alica Jordan, a family member of Vigil, then spoke on his behalf before the Defense addressed the court. She reiterated that Vigil struggled with mental illness for “over 20 years,” and expressed that she hoped others could “see him through our eyes.”
“We are truly sorry for your loss,” Jordan told Warren’s family before adding that “mental illness is very real.”
Semerad went on to call the case “uniquely difficult” and commented that there is “never a perfect sentence” that can be imposed when a life is lost.
Semerad called Vigil’s actions “heinous,” but noted he didn’t “select to have a mental illness or addiction.” He then echoed Wyatt’s words and called the 25-50 year sentence a “unified conclusion.”
When it was time for Judge Conder to accept or reject the plea agreement, he called Vigil’s actions “brutal and senseless,” but also cited the previously mentioned mitigating factors for the agreed upon sentence, as well as the fact that the original jury trial resulted in a hung jury.
Judge Conder went on to accept the plea, and recommended Vigil for the Intensive Treatment Unit program while he is incarcerated.
Vigil ultimately received the 25-50 year sentence with 449 days credit for time already served. No restitution was requested.
Click here to view all of County 10’s coverage of the case.