A Riverton man has been sentenced to 16 years for killing on the Wind River reservation

CASPER, Wyoming — Lawrence Oldman died of stab wounds on the Wind River Indian Reservation in early January.

The grief continues, as Oldman’s family and his killer expressed during a 90-minute sentencing hearing at the federal courthouse in Casper on Thursday.

“Pain and suffering is at the heart of it,” U.S. District Court Judge Kelly Rankin said before handing down a 16-year sentence to Ezekiel “Zeke” Frank James Yut for second-degree murder. Rankin also ordered Utah to serve five years of supervised probation after his release from prison, pay $30,695.37 in restitution and pay a special assessment of $100.

The case began on January 2, when a heavily drunk Ute drove the car recklessly, said that he wanted to crash it, and the passengers urged him to stop.

Ute, 22, stopped the car in the 7700 block of Riverview Road, where the passenger got out and refused to get in. Oldman, 20, also got out and started arguing with that passenger.

Ute then got out of the car, stabbed Oldman several times, got back in the car and drove off, before returning to the scene, leaving the two passengers behind.

The passengers tried to render aid and called 911 while Ute left, drove the car until it ran out of gas, and hid. Oldman was taken to Banner Wyoming Medical Center, where he died the next day.

On March 12, a federal grand jury indicted him on one count of second-degree murder, which is punishable by life in prison in the federal court system.

On July 15, Ute pleaded guilty.

The pre-sentence report recommended a sentence range of 14 to 17.5 years. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Gist argued for the maximum sentence, saying the minimum sentence fails to serve the purpose of incarceration as “adequate, but no more than necessary.”

Guest presented five witnesses: Oldman’s mother, Riana Sitting Eagle; his sister, Leanna “Mousy” Oldman; his niece; and his cousin Susie Yellowber, who sent a letter read by Oldman’s grandmother, Mary Hadley. All expressed the pain they had experienced this year.

Riana Perched Eagle said Larry was the only boy among her six children.

She told Uta that he would not be in prison for long, that she prayed for him every day, and that he would not be able to be with his family. “I tried to put forgiveness in my heart,” she said. “Do you have any remorse for stabbing my son seven or ten times and leaving him in the desert?”

Leanna Oldman said: “I miss my little brother every day.” According to her, Larry had a good soul, a good heart and popularity. “I’m going to try to forgive you, and it’s going to be hard.”

Oldman’s niece said she misses her uncle. “I’m sad because you took him away from me,” she said.

Hadley said Yellow Bear was unable to attend the hearing and then read her letter, which was harsher than the rest of the testimony.

“Think of what you have done; you can wake up everyday and breathe,” Yellowbear wrote. “I hate you. … You are an ugly, evil person.” She also said that she is looking forward to meeting her cousin in the next life: “Long live Larry – 20”.

Hadley, the grandmother, then put Ute’s actions into historical context. In the 1980s and 1990s, she said, the Yellow Bears — her family — were at war with another extended family, of which Ute is a member. In the mid-90s, the families met and decided not to fight anymore. But the killing of Ute Oldman could reverse that progress, Hadley said: “It opened up a whole new can of worms.”

She blamed alcohol, drugs and especially social media.

Despite being a grandmother, she said she’s not naive: “I’m a Facebook warrior too, and I see what’s out there.” She added that she liked Ute, noting that the people he lived with were friends. She said she wondered “what changed your mind about being (referring to the Native American term) ‘crazy man.'”

Her two sons are incarcerated, so she knows what goes on in prison about family feuds and revenge, she said. “There are a lot of Oldmans and Yellow Bears, and I can’t stop what they’re going to do to you,” Hadley said, adding that Yut will never be the same after his time in prison. She also said that Ute isn’t as tough as he thinks: “Don’t think you’re bad… because you’re going to spend some time.”

After their testimony, Gist outlined Ute’s path in his young life—mostly positive with one major flaw. He graduated from high school and joined the Wyoming National Guard, but was an alcoholic and couldn’t carry over the lessons he learned in the Guard until he returned home in the fall of 2023, Gist said.

According to him, he was arrested for being under the influence of alcohol, and soon after killed Oldman.

While you could argue that Utah is young and had a tragic upbringing, Oldman was younger and just starting out, Gist said.

Ute’s defense attorney, Craig Silva, echoed some of Gist’s comments. He said Oldman’s killing was a crime not only for him, but also for his family, Utah and the community. In addition to his high school education and service in the National Guard, Ute also worked with a Head Start program to educate young children, and his upbringing was free of violence. Based on all of this, people would never have thought that he could have committed such a crime, Silva said.

Citing testimony from Oldman’s family members, Silva said the power of forgiveness shows the possibility of redemption. According to him, Ute also showed remorse.

Ute said as much and more when he appeared before the court.

“I wish I could have this life back, but I can’t,” he said. “I am very sorry for their loss.”

Ute acknowledged his alcohol abuse, the harm it caused in this case and in his community, and his intention to seek treatment. “I want to put my life in God’s hands and let him lead me on this path. I will definitely get the necessary help,” he said.

This prompted Rankin to ask why all this had happened.

Ute replied that he did not remember what he was doing until passengers shouted at him as he drove away from where he left Oldman. “That’s what made me turn around,” he said.

During his sentencing, Rankin spoke of the impact on Oldman’s family, their pain and suffering, and the fact that they pray for Ute, who was on the right track until alcohol destroyed her life with Oldman.

Rankin said that during Ute’s time in prison, he needs to remember that, work on overcoming his addiction and demonstrate a change of heart for his community after his release.

“You, Mr. Yut, must direct this healing,” Rankin said. “Show us who you really are.”