Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Burdick Nelson Seminole Sr., 59, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and causing death with a firearm during a crime of violence, each count to run concurrently; plus, an additional 10 years imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 27 in Casper. The court also ordered Seminole to pay $4,521.09 in restitution and a $300 special assessment.
Seminole was convicted of first-degree murder after a four-day trial on Nov. 15, 2024. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in the early morning of Aug. 8, 2023, Seminole drove to the victim’s residence, entered the residence without permission, and confronted the victim. An argument ensued and Seminole left the residence to retrieve a pistol and reentered the residence, where he continued to argue with the victim, who was sitting in his wheelchair. Seminole pistol-whipped the victim and shot him three times. In response, another resident shot at Seminole, hitting him in the back of the neck, causing him to flee. Seminole drove himself to the hospital and was diagnosed with a minor flesh wound. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy, strengthening PSN on the basis of these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Case No. 24-CR-00017