Riverton man sentenced for killing friend 

RIVERTON (WNE) — The Riverton man who fatally beat his friend and cousin last year was sentenced to six to 12 years in prison as part of a plea agreement struck with prosecutors. 

Nicholas Blackburn, 30, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Pete Ouray in March 2024. 

Blackburn was drunk when he was dropped off at the Riverton home where Ouray lived with his mother and stepfather last year. 

Blackburn and Ouray argued before Ouray’s stepfather heard what he called a “thud … a punch hitting a punching bag kind of sound,” he told investigators. Blackburn stormed from the room, described as very agitated, then threw Ouray’s car keys at the stepfather and said that if he wanted to know what the argument was about, he should go ask Ouray. 

It wasn’t unusual for Ouray to spend long stretches of time in his bedroom, so when he didn’t emerge, his absence didn’t raise alarm bells. 

But two days later, Ouray’s mother found him deceased on the floor. 

Because of the plea agreement, Blackburn avoided a trial. 

But the state’s notice of expert testimony showed that Fremont County Pathologist Dr. Randall Frost was expected to testify that Ouray died as a result of blunt force trauma, and that he “likely suffered multiple separate blunt forces to various parts of his upper body, including his trunk, neck and head.” 

Blackburn initially faced up to 20 years in prison before striking the deal with prosecutors. 

This story was published on June 4, 2025.