A Letter from the County of the Wolf Killer

Originally published April 2024

As a member of Sublette County, I have heard and read much about the wolf killing incident. It is the topic that comes up at every social gathering, in every grocery store conversation, and around every business water cooler. It has hurt my soul, and broken my heart. I am seeing the rhetoric increase in its fury, but when I read Amy Edmonds’ article that compares Cody Roberts to Ted Bundy, I felt I had to speak. I realize that by writing this, I may open myself up to the next threat, hate mail or protest.

If you live in Sublette County, there are plenty of stories that surround this family, but it is mostly of irresponsible behavior which results in stupidly unnecessary misfortune — not serial killer pathology. Sublette County’s state representative is quoted by saying he has known Cody Roberts all of his life, and while it was a ‘dumb’ thing to do, he has always been a ‘good kid’.

To be clear, Cody Roberts is not a ‘kid’; he is over 40 years old. He is married. He has a family. This seems to be a narrative that we pass on. ‘Kids’ that don’t mature are treated like over-indulged children who, no matter their age, are given a pass because they are kinda cute until they aren’t. This immaturity causes harm, and not just to themselves. We pat them on the head and tell them to grow up no matter if they are 13, 33, 53 or 73, but there’s a measure of misplaced affection. While they sprout gray hair, we still see the ‘binkie’ in their mouth. Maybe it’s our own desire to not have the ‘grown-up’ burdens we have and wish to dispense with that prompt us to see these individuals as mischievous children.

While this is definitely ‘animal cruelty’; it is endorsed by a narrative that wolves or grizzlies are bad (talk to the 3 Little Pigs) and livestock are good. There are vehicles in our county which have bumper stickers that read, “The only good wolf is a dead wolf.” Even our new prospective candidate recently had an article about wolves killing her sheep. Here is the irony–ranchers get upset when wild animals kill their livestock, and paint them as evil, throat ripping predators who maliciously eat their cute little calves and lambs. But what exactly are these animals being raised for? Is it not to harvest them, so we can eat them? Do these animals not range in the area of wild animals? There are plenty of arguments on both sides of the livestock versus wolf/grizzly issue.

Mr. Roberts, though, I doubt was the kid twisting a kitten’s neck or torturing rabbits at 5 years of age. I won’t claim to know him or his family well, though I have an acquaintance through multiple environments. These are regular people who work, raise kids, and while they might subscribe to the ‘good-old-boy’ narrative, they do not slink around spouting evil psychopathy. So, to compare him to a serial killer is too much.

I, in no way, condone what happened. It was ugly. It was cruel. It crossed a line. But so did Brett Kavanaugh’s behavior when he was in high school and sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford. So did Bill Resor’s behavior when he involved himself in the purchase and distribution of child pornography. So did our former president’s behavior when he assaulted E.Jean Carroll and blithely bragged about grabbing pussies. But, heck, they are wealthy, Ivy League white guys with connections, so let us ignore the upper echelon’s practice of breaking the law while we look the other way, and let them live on in their McMansions and continue their illustrious careers.

If a girl ‘sexts’ her boyfriend, she is branded as a whore, but the boy is branded as…nothing. If an older woman ends up with a younger man, she is branded as a cougar, but if a septuagenarian ends up with a 40-year-old, he is complimented. There are many hypocrisies in our society based upon gender and social status. Let’s not turn this debacle into another one.

I have heard, through reputable sources, that Mr. Roberts has had multiple death threats. He has had threats that promised to rape his wife and his daughter; to kill his children; or to skin and kill them. The public schools here in Sublette County are on high alert. This is not okay. We can object to what he did without threatening his family. We can object in a way that does not compare him to a serial killer. We can object in ways that do not lower ourselves to the very mind set that he demonstrated when he chased down, muzzled, exhibited, tortured, and killed that wolf. How are we better when that is the behavior we display?

In ancient times, the Israelites would choose 2 goats as ritual sacrifices: one to harvest and celebrate and one to bear the sins of the community and be killed as a rite of purification. In revolutionary America, we likewise practiced vigilante justice by ‘tarring and feathering’. When we demonize others, what we do is remove them from the pool of us. They are somehow different. They are not of us. So we can now heap all of our rage, and our sins upon them, and purify ourselves by ostracizing and punishing them. But the inherent danger of doing this is that when we purify ourselves by heaping our sins upon others, we stop looking at ourselves. We stop realizing that we have become part of the problem. “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone” (John 8:7). I am looking in the mirror here, folks, and I will not be picking up any stones.

Let us admit, this was a stupid, ignorant, frat boy stunt that ended up going awry — like hazing incidents that kill college students; alcohol poisoning incidents, making a kid swim across a river incidents, or Rohypnol incidents. These are tragedies that should be prosecuted because they support a narrative that lives are not worth as much as the tradition or the hunt. There is no excuse for this behavior.

Cody Roberts paid his $250 (which is not enough but was the stated penalty). He is being investigated by the Sublette County Sheriff, the DCI and the FBI. Let the law take its course and find its way through this mess. There is momentum. Keep contacting the Governor, your state and federal representatives, write your editorials. But, follow the rule of law. Express your opinion, and let it play out, but refrain from demonizing. There will be, I am sure, a consequence. Do not use your rage to harm other lives.

I hope that Mr. Roberts learns his lesson, though there is not yet an apology or an acceptance of responsibility. I hope that the law stumbles its way forward and something good comes from this foolish and cruel behavior. But, I will not be skulking around with an AK looking to do him or his family harm; this is hypocritical behavior and does nothing but throw gasoline upon an already flagrant fire.

If we want him to undergo valid prosecution, then we must exhibit valid behavior.