CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Court documents released by Laramie County Circuit court have shed light on an alleged homicide that is under investigation by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials have identified the deceased as Christopher Garcia of Cheyenne. The suspect has been identified as Danelle Moyte, also of Cheyenne.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, Laramie County Sheriff deputies were dispatched to a residence on the 2400 block of South Avenue in the early hours of May 16th, 2020 after receiving multiple reports indicating a man had been shot.
Deputies say that when they arrived on scene they made contact with Moyte outside of the residence who they observed to be visibly upset.
Deputies allege that Moyte advised them that she had shot someone inside of the house. Deputies report that Moyte informed them that she didn’t know the condition of the person she claimed to have shot.
According to deputies, they noticed an unoccupied parked vehicle in the driveway that was still running. They later discovered the vehicle to be registered to Garcia.
The affidavit says that Moyte informed the deputies that she had placed the gun she claimed to have used in the center console of her vehicle, which was parked in front of the residence.
Deputies report that they located and secured the 9 mm-semi-auto handgun.
Upon entering the residence, authorities say they located an unresponsive Garcia in the master bedroom. Court documents report that the deputies located an apparent gunshot wound to his right chest.
Garcia was then transported by ambulance to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Court documents say that Moyte and Garcia were engaged to be married and shared the residence with multiple juveniles who were present when authorities arrived.
While speaking with law enforcement on scene, it is reported that Moyte told deputies that she and Garcia had been arguing. She alleged at one point during the arguement that she had left the residence, only to come home later to discover that Garcia had left.
Documents say when Garcia returned, Moyte told him that she didn’t want him to enter the residence, but did anyway. Moyte claimed to Deputies that she told Garcia to leave three times, but wouldn’t.
Authorities allege that Moyte told them that she remembered getting the gun out of the safe and then shooting Garcia.
Deputies say that Moyte claimed that the shooting was done in self-defense and made claims that Garcia was going to get violent with her.
During a search of the residence, a spent 9 mm casing was found as well as an open gun safe in the bedroom closet that contained a box of unspent matching ammunition.
Court papers say that Moyte invoked her right to counsel during an interview later at the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office. However, investigators report that Moyte did say that “everyone was drinking” and wondered out loud how this could have happened since they “never fight.”
The affidavit goes on to say that investigators did not observe any obvious injuries on Moyte.
During her initial appearance in Laramie County Circuit Court on Monday, May 18th, Moyte was read the charge of first-degree murder.
No bond was given.
