CODY ROBERTS, accused of torturing and killing a wolf, finally indicted for felony animal cruelty

- Wyoming, USA -

On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the Sublette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced that a Sublette County grand jury indicted 43-year-old CODY ROBERTS for one felony count of cruelty to animals.

The charge stemmed from an appalling incident that took place on February 29, 2024, when

ROBERTS ran down a defenseless juvenile male wolf with a snowmobile. ROBERTS struck the poor soul until he was so disabled that he could tape his mouth shut. ROBERTS took the wolf home, then he walked with the wolf on a leash into the Green River Bar in Daniel. ROBERTS showed the wolf off before taking him behind the establishment where he shot him in the head killing him.  

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department took the lead in responding to the incident. ROBERTS was cited and paid a $250 fine for illegal possession of wildlife, a misdemeanor.  

Investigating wardens could have pursued steeper penalties and sent the case to court but decided not to at that time. Game and Fish has maintained that wolves are not protected by animal cruelty laws in areas of Wyoming where they are designated as predators by the state.

In early April 2024, Cowboy State Daily obtained a picture showing ROBERTS at his home posing with the wolf who had his mouth taped shut.

Pictures and videos showing the inhumane and ruthless treatment of the wolf went viral, and understandably sparked fury and indignation across the internet and even a tourism boycott of Wyoming.

Sublette County Prosecuting Attorney Clayton Melinkovich said his office was at one point inundated with more than 10,000 emails a day about the wolf. Mr. Melinkovich said: “Largely the frustration was that the act of hunting a wolf in Wyoming was legal — that was first and foremost. Many people were surprised and shocked.”

In April 2024, the Sublette County Sheriff's Office announced that an investigation was launched into ROBERTS’ actions and said it was unaware of the situation until the story went viral.

In June 2025, Sublette County Prosecuting Attorney Clayton Melinkovich requested a grand jury in ROBERTS’ long-delayed legal case. The grand jury was sworn in the 9^th Judicial District and convened the second and third weeks of August for “evidentiary sessions.” After “receiving evidence” and “deliberation,” the 12-member panel returned a “true bill,” the procedural step that makes an indictment official.

The charge faced by ROBERTS is punishable by up to only two years in prison, a meager fine of $5,000, or both.

I took the liberty of naming the Voiceless Victim Francis for the tribute image.

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