A suspect has been arrested in connection with the 2015 double homicide that occurred at The Coin Shop in downtown Cheyenne.
Tuesday morning, Cheyenne Police Detectives with assistance of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office in California arrested 68-year-old Douglas Smith, of McCloud, California on a warrant alleging two counts of first-degree murder. Smith is now awaiting extradition from California to Cheyenne.
On July 20, 2015, Cheyenne Police Officers responded to a report of a shooting and robbery in progress at The Coin Shop located at 510 West Lincolnway. Responding officers located two victims with apparent gunshot wounds. 76-year-old George Manley and 67-year-old Dwight Brockman, both from Cheyenne, were pronounced deceased at the scene. Their deaths were ruled as homicides.
Since 2015, the investigation has remained open, with assignments to five different case detectives and one civilian. In March of 2023, Cheyenne Police Detectives revisited the homicide evidence, with goals of generating additional investigative recommendations and determining if newly available technologies would produce more leads to solve the case.
“Three years ago, when I was hired as Chief of Police, I became aware of the homicide at The Coin Shop and decided to make this a priority,” said Chief Mark Francisco. “Cases like this can be very challenging with many layers of evidence. Our detectives have been diligently working for almost a decade, and, through detailed analysis, have been able to thoughtfully re-examine the evidence in ways that bring those responsible to justice.”
Since 2023, over 1,500 hours have been spent working on the case. Hundreds of tips, emails, and letters have been reviewed. Additional warrant service operations and interviews were also conducted in California and Colorado with assistance from partnering law enforcement agencies.
The cost for travel, testing, and examination during this time period is approximately $11,106. Cheyenne Police have also worked regularly with federal, state, and local partners to include, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Laramie County District Attorney’s Office, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, the Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the US Marshals Service.
As a result of their investigation, detectives believe that Douglas Smith, the initial 9-1-1 caller, killed Manley and Brockman on July 20. The case has now been turned over to the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
“I would like to commend our team of detectives for their tireless work and commitment to building a solid case. I’d also like to thank the District Attorney’s Office, for working diligently to prosecute the case,” said Chief Mark Francisco. “Strong partnerships have resulted in an arrest, which is a step closer to closure for our community.”
Sylvia Hackl, Laramie County District Attorney said, “I have been aware of this crime since it occurred and have followed the investigation since that time. I appreciate the diligent work of our investigators who have brought this suspect to justice.”