Lowery wrongful death lawsuit dismissed

SHERIDAN (WNE) — Genevieve Lowery — the sister of William F. Lowery — has dismissed the wrongful death lawsuit filed against Sheridan Police Department Chief Travis Koltiska, Casper Police Officer Michael Chand — the officer who shot and killed William Lowery — and 30 unnamed officers, each in their individual and official capacity.

According to the dismissal document, since filing her complaint, the adverse parties have provided information that Genevieve Lowery had been seeking to understand the facts and circumstances surrounding her brother’s death. With that information, and the fact that the adverse parties have not answered the complaint or filed a motion for summary judgment, Lowery dismissed the action.

By filing the notice, dismissal was accomplished without further order of the court, as court staff terminated the case, according to the Public Access to Court Electronic Records website.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court of Wyoming Oct. 6, argued that SPD and other officers involved violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by using excessive force and “unreasonable deadly force” in the death of William Lowery.

The document states, “Mr. Lowery posed no immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others when he was in the home,” and “the officers escalated the situation in the tactics they used to force Mr. Lowery out of the home.”

According to the report, Sheridan County Attorney Dianna Bennett found that Casper Police Officer and Natrona County SRT Sniper Michael Chand was justified in the use of deadly force when Chand shot and killed Lowery. Chand was acting to protect the citizens and law enforcement officers at the time he used deadly force.

This story was published on Oct. 14, 2025.