Feds Charge Riverton Man With Murder; Say He Shot Man in Head
A Riverton man, who Casper police arrested in August after he allegedly pointed an SKS rifle at someone following a liquor store theft, is charged with first-degree murder in federal court.
According to a superseding indictment handed down last month, Seth Thomas Blackburn is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to commit murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm and using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
Peter Joseph Blackburn and Brent Jordan Gould are also charged with aiding and abetting. The alleged murder took place in "Indian Country," according to the indictment.
Details in the indictment are sparse, but it does allege that the Blackburns along with Gould kidnapped Victor Dale Addison on August 4th. The indictment further alleges that Seth Blackburn shot Addison in the head.
The indictment doesn't make mention of what type of weapon Seth Blackburn allegedly used, but he was in possession of an SKS rifle when he was arrested in Casper two days after the alleged murder.
According to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the Aug. 6 Casper arrest, police were called to a liquor store on North Poplar on August. 6 after a cashier reported that an unidentified woman went into the store and ran out with a half-gallon of Fireball. She reportedly left in a black Chevy Silverado.
Immediately after the alleged theft, the cashier's boyfriend followed the vehicle. When the cashier's boyfriend confronted the woman driving the truck, she told him he needed to leave or he'd be shot. At that point, the affidavit says, Seth Blackburn got out of the truck and pointed an SKS rifle at the cashier's boyfriend.
Later that afternoon, police received a report that a man was passed out in bushes near the North Platte River. When officers arrived, Seth Blackburn ran away and jumped into the river. Police walked alongside the riverbank as Seth Blackburn swam.
He was arrested when he got out of the river.
FBI agents assisted Casper police in the initial investigation. Seth Blackburn was initially charged with aggravated assault and felon in possession of a firearm in Natrona County Circuit Court before the case moved to federal court.