Man found in Burns killed "without premeditation," DA says
Aug. 28—CHEYENNE — The man found dead by Laramie County Sheriff's deputies last week near Burns was allegedly killed in a domestic dispute by his girlfriend's son, court documents indicate.
Ashley Bartel, 42, was pronounced dead by a volunteer for Laramie County Fire District 6 in the early afternoon Wednesday. Deputies had been told the man who shot him was driving a red vehicle. The alleged shooter, 25-year-old Tyler Hill, of Hillsdale, was found and apprehended by Pine Bluffs Police Department later that afternoon.
Hill was booked into the Laramie County jail Wednesday afternoon on a charge of second-degree murder.
Bartel had been dating Hill's mother, Rhonda Bryan, according to a probable cause statement made by Deputy Ryan Martinez, who responded to the incident.
Hill lived with his mother and Bartel on a property with two to three other people, deputies were told. Eyewitness accounts from the property's owner and another neighbor, along with Bryan, gave deputies more information on what transpired Wednesday.
"Hill was demanding keys to a car from Bartel," Martinez wrote. "The two of them argued for a short time prior to Hill saying, 'You think I'm playing?' Hill then shot a round into the ground from a black semi-automatic handgun that he had."
Property owner Dannie Wild told deputies that he heard a total of four more gunshots, and that he saw Bartel "flying" toward the ground.
During Bryan's interview, she told deputies that she got into a verbal altercation with Bartel because she wanted to take Hill to a nearby truck stop with Bartel's vehicle.
"Bryan said Bartel and Hill pushed one another 'three or four times,'" Martinez's account read. "... Bryan pushed Hill's arm 'away,' during which the gun went off and shot Bartel 'in the face,' near the right cheek."
Hill reportedly said "Oh my god, oh my god, I didn't mean to," according to Bryan. Another witness also said he seemed upset, waving a gun around after the incident saying, "It wasn't my fault" and "He hurt my mom." Bryan said he then obtained the keys to Bartel's other vehicle, the red car he was later apprehended in, and left the scene.
Bryan told deputies that Bartel and Hill had known each other since before she began dating Bartel, and that she didn't know why Hill shot Bartel. Other witnesses who knew them also said they were unaware of why Hill would want to shoot Bartel.
A document filed Thursday by Laramie County Assistant District Attorney William Edelman formally charged Hill with second-degree murder, saying he, "Did unlawfully, purposely and maliciously, but without premeditation, kill Ashley Bartel."
Hill is set to appear in Laramie County Circuit Court on Friday for his initial appearance.
Samir Knox is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's criminal justice and public safety reporter. He can be reached by email at sknox@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3152. Follow him on Twitter at @bySamirKnox.
