Dad charged with murdering three sons, his brother (Wheatland, Wyoming)

Dad EVERETT CONANT is in custody after he "allegedly" murdered his three sons and his own brother. It appears that the mother of the boys was wounded.

Had this been a mother who engaged in a similar orgy of violence, she'd be a household name by now. Her name would be in the media every day for the next three years.

But as it is, since this is a father, you probably won't hear much about this unless you live in Wyoming.

http://www.pcrecordtimes.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=2208

Four fatally shot in Wheatland; suspect in custody

Modified: Friday, Jul 8th, 2011
BY: Amber Ningen, Editor

A Wheatland man remains in custody after his three sons - all minors - and brother were shot dead, authorities say.

Everett Conant, in his mid-30s, is expected to make an initial appearance in Platte County Circuit Court Friday afternoon.

Wheatland Police Chief Randy Chesser said the Wheatland Police Department received a 911 call Thursday, July 7 at about 5:50 pm to a report of screaming and yelling at a residence in the 700 block of Oak Street.

"While the 911 caller was taking information, the caller advised they heard shots being fired in the area," Chesser said.

Chesser said a short time later a Wheatland police officer arrived at the location and found an injured female running down the street. A deputy assisted her while the police officer then continued toward the residence where he reported another shot was fired. After waiting for additional backup, officers entered the home but backed out when they heard a male voice from inside, according to Chesser.

Chesser said law enforcement began a dialogue with the male subject, who surrendered peacefully after about 10 minutes. Chesser identified the suspect as Everett Conant.

"The male subject was not armed when he was taken into custody," he said.

Once inside the residence, officers discovered three fatally wounded minors, and an adult male who had also been shot. Officers began life-saving measures on the man until an an ambulance arrived, Chesser said.

The adult male - whose name has not been released but was reportedly the brother of the suspect - was transferred to Platte County Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Chesser reported that the female victim - who had gunshot injuries to the shoulder and leg - is alive and is in stable condition. Although authorities would not release the name of the female victim, James Watson, spokesman for Cheyenne Regional Medical Center said a woman named Suzette Conant was admitted to the hospital on Thursday and that as of today she is in good condition.

Though there was early speculation that this was a hostage situation, Chesser said there was no indication of that.

At this time law enforcement believes a gun was the only weapon used in the incident, and a motive is unclear.

Chesser said Department of Criminal Investigation reports reveal a large number of rounds had been fired inside the residence.

Platte County Attorney Eric Jones said his office did not have charging documents completed as of late Friday morning and the specific charges would be released when they became available. Names of the victims will not be released until family members have been notified, he said.

Chesser said he believed no prior domestic disturbances had been reported at the residence.

"We didn't have any major calls to the home. We had some juvenile issues, things like that," he said.

A preliminary check found that Conant has no previous criminal history.

The family had reportedly lived in Wheatland for about seven years.

Jessica Kornder, who lives down the street from the residence, said she was cleaning her kitchen when she heard two gunshots Thursday evening.

"I thought it was fireworks," she said. "Then after that I heard this god-awful scream and I looked out my window and I saw [the female victim] propped up against that fence out there."

Kornder went out to the woman, who said she had been shot. Kornder said she told the woman to remain calm and she went to a neighbor's house to get some towels to cover her wounds.

This is the fifth homicide in Wheatland within three weeks. On June 18, a Wheatland man was fatally shot behind the Landmark Bar. Prior to this, the last homicide was in 2002.

This investigation is ongoing.