(Ethete, WY) – It was reported in the April 11th Fremont County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) media release that the County Coroner’s Office responded to an “animal bites” call on the night of April 10th, after a woman was reported to have been found deceased in the Ethete area.
Officials have confirmed the identity of that woman, 42-year-old Shawna Jo Bell.
Since that time, County 10 has received multiple questions and concerns from community members speculating about the presence of a feral dog pack in the area.
While the exact cause of death, location, type of bites, and name of the deceased were not immediately available, our news team reached out to both the Coroner’s Office and the FBI, the lead investigators, for more information.
“I can confirm that 42-year-old Shawna Jo Bell was found dead April 10th in Ethete, Wyoming,” replied Vikki Migoya, the Public Affairs Officer for the FBI Denver Field Office.
“The coroner will determine the time, manner and cause of death. As the investigation into the circumstances of the death are ongoing, we will have no further comment at this time.”
While specific details are still under investigation and cannot be commented on, Fremont County’s chief deputy coroner Erin Ivie did state, “There is no public safety issue.”
Ivie then referenced an incident that occurred years ago, involving multiple people who were attacked by dogs in Fremont County.
In that instance, Ivie said the Coroner’s Office issued a public statement informing residents about the presence of animals that were not afraid of humans.
No such release has been issued related to the April 10 report, according to Ivie.
Bell has been autopsied, Ivie then commented, and more information will be available in four to six weeks.
County 10 will provide further information once the Coroner’s report has been obtained in that timeframe.