Arrest made in 2015 double homicide at The Coin Shop
CHEYENNE — A 68-year-old California man has been arrested in connection with the 2015 double homicide at The Coin Shop in downtown Cheyenne.
Tuesday morning, the Cheyenne Police Department collaborated with the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s office in California to arrest Douglas Smith of McCloud, California, on a warrant alleging two accounts of first-degree murder.
Smith is now awaiting extradition from California to Cheyenne.
The killings occurred during an armed robbery around 9:30 a.m. July 20, 2015, just as the Cheyenne Frontier Days pancake breakfast was coming to a close.
Police were alerted to the scene, where they found the shop owner, 67-year-old Dwight Brockman, and his friend, 76-year-old George “Doc” Manley, shot to death. The 911 caller on that day was Smith, Cheyenne Police Chief Mark Francisco said during a news conference at the Public Safety Center.
As a result of a collaborative investigation by a variety of agencies, detectives believe that Smith killed Manley and Brockman.
The case will now be turned over to the Laramie County District’s Attorney’s office for prosecution, with deputy district attorney William Edelman serving as lead prosecutor.
“Three years ago, when I was hired as chief of police, I became aware of the homicide at The Coin Shop and decided to make this a priority,” Francisco said.
Smith has been a person of interest for nine years, Laramie County District Attorney Sylvia Hackl told the press. She added that it is the DA’s understanding that Smith is choosing not to speak at this time.
“It’s important to see that these matters were brought to closure for the sake of the family and the community,” Hackl said.
Though she is not the lead prosecutor on the case, Hackl told media that she would be involved every step of the way.
”Eight years and 11 months since that horrible day, our community can finally find solace,” Mayor Patrick Collins said during Tuesday’s news conference. “The perpetrator’s in jail, and while justice has been delayed, justice will be served.”
The case has remained open since 2015, with assignments to five different detectives and one civilian, Francisco said. Cheyenne police detectives revisited evidence from the case in March 2023, aiming to generate additional investigative recommendations and determine if newly available technology would produce additional leads.
“Cases like this can be very challenging, with many layers of evidence,” Francisco said. “Our detectives have been diligently working for almost a decade, and through detailed analysis, have been able to thoughtfully reexamine the evidence in ways that bring those responsible to justice.”
Police received hundreds of tips, emails and letters, all of which were reviewed. Additional warrant service operations and interviews were also conducted in California and Colorado with assistance from partnering law enforcement agencies. Since 2023, more than 1,500 hours were spent working the case, and the cost for travel, testing and examination during this time period is approximately $11,106, Francisco said.
Cheyenne Police worked regularly with federal, state and local partners leading up to the arrest. These partners include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laramie County District Attorney’s Office, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service.
“I would like to commend our team of detectives for their tireless work and commitment to building a solid case. I’d also like to thank the District Attorney’s office for working diligently to prosecute the case,” Francisco said. “Strong partnerships have resulted in an arrest, which is a step closer to closure for our community.”
