Conrad Troy Tillman, a 38-year-old resident of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, has been sentenced to 29 years in federal prison for second-degree murder. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin on March 21, 2025, in Casper. In addition to the prison term, Tillman will serve five years of supervised release and is required to pay $6,998.10 in restitution along with a $100 special assessment.
The sentence takes into account that Tillman had already been serving a related tribal sentence for nearly a year prior to this federal sentencing.
The incident occurred on April 14, 2024, when the Wind River Police Department responded to a call about a shooting on Highway 287 within the Wind River Indian Reservation. According to court documents and witness testimony, an argument broke out between Tillman and his wife while they were traveling with their adolescent daughter. The confrontation escalated until Tillman shot his wife in the head with a semi-automatic pistol. He then flagged down a passing motorist who called 911. Emergency services arrived but pronounced the victim dead at the scene.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department of Justice launched an enhanced strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021, focusing on building trust within communities, supporting preventive community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
For further details about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit Justice.gov/PSN.