Man goes on mule deer killing spree in Cody, Wyoming — then turns himself in, cops say

Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman

CODY, Wyoming — A 20-year-old man went connected a mule cervid sidesplitting spree and scattered nan 9 carcasses crossed a Wyoming municipality — past turned himself into nan section sheriff, according to authorities and news outlets.

Joshua Tamirat Wielhouwer, a resident of Jenison, Michigan, faces 18 misdemeanor charges, including 9 counts of taking a crippled animal without a hunting licence and 9 counts of wanton demolition of a large crippled animal, and much charges mightiness beryllium connected nan way, nan Powell Tribune reported.

Wielhouwer’s enslaved is group astatine $36,000 successful cash, nan circuit tribunal successful Cody told McClatchy News complete nan phone.

“It is my client’s volition to stay successful nan detention halfway until we person a amended thought of these charges arsenic good immoderate imaginable caller charges,” Tim Blatt, Wielhouwer’s defense attorney, told to nan Powell Tribune, adding that he’ll apt activity a little enslaved for his client.

The first star was discovered adjacent a location connected nan greeting of Aug. 27, nan outlet reported, citing charging documents. Another was recovered adjacent a neighboring house, while nan remaining 7 were recovered adjacent nan Park County Complex successful Cody complete nan adjacent fewer days.

The analyzable is surrounded by greenish abstraction and mini ponds, which sometimes pull nan town’s beloved municipality mule cervid herd, Cowboy State Daily reported.

One of nan dormant deer, a doe, was recovered floating successful 1 of nan ponds, nan outlet reported.

Court documents said a full of 2 bucks, six does and a fawn were killed and recovered pinch broadhead hunting arrow wounds, nan outlet reported.

State crippled prison guard Spencer Carstens and Cody crippled prison guard Grant Gerharter judge they caught Wielhouwer sidesplitting 1 of nan cervid connected Sept. 4, earlier he “ran distant and fled nan state,” nan Powell Tribune reported.

Carstens and Gerharter were connected patrol adjacent nan region analyzable astatine astir 10 p.m. “when they heard a sound ‘consistent pinch (a) changeable from a compound bow,’” Cowboy State Daily reported, citing an affidavit. Then, Carstens saw personification “carrying a compound front and ‘shining a ray connected nan ground,’” nan outlet reported.

The wardens tried to extremity nan man but yet mislaid him, and authorities issued a warrant for Wielhouwer’s apprehension Friday, Sept. 6, nan Powell Tribune reported.

Three days later, Wielhouwer returned to Wyoming and turned himself in, a spokesperson for nan Park County Sheriff’s Office told McClatchy News complete nan telephone connected Friday, Sept. 13.

McClatchy News reached retired to nan Park County Sheriff’s Office and nan clerk of courts for accusation and charging documents but was incapable to get nan records.

Wielhouwer’s adjacent tribunal day is 9 a.m. Dec. 11 for a position conference, according to nan clerk of courts.

Cody is simply a municipality successful nan northwestern portion of nan authorities wherever nan Yellowstone Regional Airport is located, astir a 50-mile thrust eastbound of Yellowstone National Park.

A dormant mule cervid is shown successful his record photograph from Idaho Fish and Game. | Courtesy Idaho Fish and Game