A shooting in June west of Pine Bluffs that left a man dead has been ruled self-defense. The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance involving a shooting in the 1200 block of County Road 157 about eight miles west of Pine Bluffs just before 4:30 p.m. on June 24th. The investigation revealed a sequence of events that ultimately led to the fatal shooting of Kevin Hefley.
Earlier that day, Christine Hefly moved horses from her and Kevin’s shared property to Patrick Gross’s property, upsetting Kevin. Kevin Hefley and Patrick Gross had a recent history of conflict. On the morning of the shooting, Hefley threatened Gross via text message. Later, Gross was parked in his driveway when Hefley drove rapidly towards him. Just prior to being rammed by Hefley, Gross shot Hefley’s radiator in an attempt to stop the vehicle.
Later crash reconstruction indicated that Hefley hit Gross’s truck at approximately 60 mph constituting the threat of deadly force. Hefley exited his vehicle and physically assaulted Gross by punching him multiple times, while Gross was inside his truck. During the altercation, Gross shot Hefley. Despite being shot, Hefley continued to assault Gross while holding onto the driver’s door of Gross’s truck as Gross tried to drive away. Hefley continued in his assault until he succumbed to his injuries.
The scene was meticulously examined, including advanced crash reconstruction analysis and digital evidence from phones and social media. Hefley’s blood alcohol content was found to be nearly twice the legal limit (.143).
After a comprehensive review, the District Attorney concluded that Patrick Gross acted in self-defense. Under Wyoming Statute, a person has the right to use reasonable force, including deadly force, when facing an imminent threat of death or serious injury. Gross believed he was in immediate danger and acted accordingly. Wyoming Statute also affirms that there is no duty to retreat before defending oneself. Based on this, no criminal charges will be filed against Gross.