(Fremont County, WY) – 37-year-old Fremont County man Matthew Lawrence Antelope faces 2 felony charges, both for aggravated assault and battery.
Both charges hold a maximum penalty of up to 10 years of imprisonment.
On the May 11th District Court arraignment hearing, he pled not guilty to both charges. A jury trial has been set for August 16th.
On January 1st, 2021, around 3 AM, the Riverton Police Department was dispatched to a local hospital for reports of a victim with multiple stab wounds being dropped off by people in an unidentified vehicle.
The alleged stabbing occurred at an area motel, where the victim had reportedly suffered slashes from a “machete type” knife to his face and neck, causing arterial bleeding, as well as lacerations on his shoulder and hands.
The victim was life-flighted to a neighboring hospital due to the severity of his injuries, and was eventually brought to stable condition.
According to court documents, he was later released back into the custody of the Fremont County Detention Center due to previous arrest warrants.
Later on the 1st, RPD was able to locate the same vehicle that dropped the victim off at the hospital.
The vehicle reportedly had multiple bloodstains both inside and outside, with “large stains” located in the rear passenger seat, according to the officer’s observations.
Two hospital employees were able to positively identify the suspected vehicle, which was subsequently impounded as evidence.
Contact with the vehicle owner was eventually made on January 5th. During the interview, she told law enforcement she was partying on New Year’s Eve with the victim and his brother. At one point in the evening, the vehicle owner reportedly dropped the victim off at a nearby motel and went back to her apartment.
Hours later, the vehicle owner was allegedly woken up by the victim’s brother who informed her the victim had been stabbed and needed a ride to the hospital. She gave him the keys, and he reportedly left to take the victim to the hospital.
Later on the 5th, RPD investigated the scene of the motel where the alleged incident occurred. There they discovered drops of blood on the stairway leading directly to an unlocked room with an open door.
They then found an unoccupied room with multiple bloodstains, drug paraphernalia, numerous packages addressed to various Riverton residents, a pair of blue jeans covered in blood, and a machete knife sheath wrapped in a red bandana.
Responding officers questioned the motel owner, eventually finding out the room had been rented in December and paid for through January 2nd, but had since been abandoned.
Further investigation revealed that on December 29th, 2020, RPD had taken reports from two subjects, one male one female, who alleged to have been threatened by Antelope with a machete-type knife. This was reported to have taken place at the same motel where the alleged stabbing occurred days after.
The female subject also alleged that Antelope had an issue with the victim, “because of drug related matters.” She also ackowledged Antelope used a machete knife to strike the victim multiple times, and had also described his plans to do so on “numerous occasions.”
The victim’s brother, who drove the victim to the hospital, also confirmed via phone call that Matthew “Cyco” Antelope had attacked his brother.
Contact was eventually made with the victim at the Fremont County Detention Center.
According to the victim, he had been hanging out with a group of friends at a motel on New Year’s Eve. He was “pretty drunk and high” when he went to the room where the incident took place. He began talking to the renter of the room when he was hit in the side of the face.
The victim stated that he then “blanked out” and could not tell who had hit him with the machete. He added that he did not know if it was Antelope, but he “would not be surprised if he attacked him,” alleging that Antelope was “going after him and his brother.”
RPD then made contact with Antelope, also incarcerated at Fremont County Detention Center.
Antelope confirmed he was at the motel the night of the incident. He stated that the victim wanted to fight out in the parking lot over a past altercation, where the victim had allegedly jumped Antelope.
Antelope stated he was in the room “ready to shoot up drugs,” when the victim came in and punched him in the face with a closed fist. He initially grabbed a “bandana with a rock” to defend himself, but switched to a machete, swinging it at the victim.
Antelope stated he “did not know for sure if he hit him” before leaving the room.
A male witness to the events was also contacted by RPD. According to his statements, he and Antelope were in the motel room allegedly engaging in drugs, when the victim entered wanting to fight. He then punched Antelope, who began swinging the machete to fend him off.
The victim “had his arms up trying to defend himself,” and Antelope allegedly kept swinging until he was able to get up and make his way to the bathroom.
All parties eventually left the room, leaving the victim bleeding on the floor.
County 10 will continue to follow this case as it progresses, coverage of which can be found here.