“This is every father’s, husband’s, wife’s, mother’s worst nightmare come true.”

The weight of Randy Hanson’s, Sublette County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) public information officer, words hung in the air. A young woman had been assaulted in her Pinedale home late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, and Hanson, SCSO Captain Brian Ketterhagen and Detective Lance Gehlhausen agreed it was a nightmare situation.

In the early hours of Sunday morning a 20-year old woman was found by her roommate lying in bed with a severe head wound. A press release from the SCSO stated the roommate returned from a camping trip at 4:30 a.m., noticed the door to her house was open and saw lights on. There was blood in the house, which prompted her to check on the young woman.

An ambulance arrived and took the young woman to the Pinedale Medical Center, where she was treated and released.

“At this time there is no indication of sexual assault,” Hanson said.

He also said, as far as he’d heard, the victim was doing as well as could be expected given her injuries, which the SCSO release called “substantial head trauma.”

Her wounds were such that Hanson said the perpetrator might be charged with anything from aggravated assault to attempted murder.

“[A perpetrator] is looking at a very serious charge and very serious time if convicted,” he said.

According to a second SCSO release, the case has become a “top priority” for the department, and Ketterhagen assured that all possible and necessary resources are being put towards finding the perpetrator and protecting the public.

“We’ve got guys, even on their nights off, coming in to work on [this case],” Gehlhausen said, acknowledging the incident has shocked the community.

“This is highly unusual, especially for a community of our size,” Hanson added.

Sheriff Wayne “Bardy” Bardin said he was going to speak with the county commissioners at their next meeting to request funds for a reward going to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect.

As of this time, he said there are no suspects in the incident. Hanson said the department is looking at some individuals, but it has yet to determined if they were directly involved. He also said the SCSO investigators are looking into two other similar incidents that have occurred in Pinedale over the past two months.

“The other incidents may have the appearance of being connected,” he said, adding, at this point, there is no evidence to link them save for some similar facts.

Ketterhagen said the department was trying to alert and educate the public without disclosing sensitive information about the case. There are details of the case only the person who committed the act would know, which Hanson said might aid in identifying the perpetrator.

The SCSO needs to balance the safety of the people and that of the case, and Hanson added the department didn’t want any suspect to be alerted to the progress of the investigation.

Bardin and Hanson repeatedly asked the public to “use caution and secure their premises,” but they have also been soliciting help from the community, asking people to come forward with any information or suspicions.

Gehlhausen said people have been calling the station every day with ideas and tips, and they all encouraged people to report what they might not otherwise have reported.

“People may think things are stupid or trivial without knowing the details of the case,” Hanson said, “but they may be relevant.”

Ketterhagen gave the example of people walking through yards at night. In a small town with very few yard fences, that might not normally be noteworthy, but all of the SCSO representatives said people need to be alert and aware and call the department if a situation seems suspicious.

mrawlins@pinedaleroundup.com





For the complete article see the 07-30-2010 issue.

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