No arrests after two months in fatal shooting of Wyoming crop duster

TORRINGTON (WNE) — Two months after a Pine Bluffs crop duster was shot and killed, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office has made no arrests as investigators examine whether Wyoming’s “stand your ground” law applies to the case. 

Kevin Hefley, 52, was found dead June 24 in the 1200 block of County Road 157, about eight miles west of Pine Bluffs. 

Deputies responded to reports of a fatal shooting at 4:22 p.m. 

Hefley operated his crop-dusting business from the Pine Bluffs Airport.

Sheriff Brian Kozak told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in July the case was taking longer to investigate as detectives assessed the impact of the Castle Doctrine, a legal principle embedded in Wyoming’s “stand your ground” law allowing individuals to use deadly force to defend themselves or others without the obligation to retreat. 

The sheriff’s office said immediately after the shooting a “shooter has been located,” but provided no additional details about whether the incident reflects an alleged criminal act.

Community members expressed frustration with the slow progress of the investigation in comments on the department’s Facebook post. Many noted the community has not forgotten Hefley, despite minimal information released regarding his death. 

This is the second fatal shooting in Laramie County this month. The Cheyenne area typically has a low rate of homicides, with only three occurring in 2024, according to the Cheyenne Police Department. Two of those were ruled as “justified” homicides by the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office. 

This story was published on Sept. 10, 2025.