Elk Hunting Confrontation Ends with Assault and Robbery

Jared Michael Olguin, 35, of Elizabeth, Colorado, and Shea Patrice Sanchez, 30, of Green River, Wyoming, are accused of assaulting two Wyoming hunters, Dawson Handley and Joseph Boster, and stealing Boster’s backpack, which contained several expensive hunting-related items.

The attackers, who were allegedly drunk and in a rage, beat the victims so severely that they required medical care. Handley, who took the brunt of the beating, required hospitalization in Jackson due to the multiple fractures to his jaw, along with other severe injuries he received during the attack. He will need multiple surgeries to repair the damage from the beating.

Handley’s father, Noble Handley, told the Cowboy State Daily that this vicious attack was completely unprovoked. Olguin and Sanchez accused Handley and Boster of stealing the carcass of a cow elk they killed earlier that day, Handley said. The victims said they hadn’t killed any elk during their hunt and did not steal the carcass.

It all started about midmorning on Saturday when Handley and Boster encountered the would-be attackers as they were butchering a cow elk by the roadside. Sanchez and Olguin told the victims that they had shot and killed another cow elk that they claimed should be nearby. The victims told the suspects they would keep an eye out for their elk and went on their way.

Later that evening the Handley and Boster were returning to their camp via the Greys River Road when they encountered Olguin and Sanchez a second time. They flagged them down and accused them of stealing the cow elk carcass that was discussed earlier in the day between the parties.

An unidentified friend told the Cowboy State Daily that at this point Olguin and Sanchez were belligerently intoxicated and acting aggressively. They first threw a beer can and then punched Boster when he exited the UTV he was riding in. The attackers proceeded to punch and kick Boster, so Hadley also exited the UTV. The attackers immediately turned their attention to him. A violent scuffle ensued, with Hadley receiving multiple injuries.

Both Handley and Boster have been cooperative with authorities and were helpful in positively identifying the suspects. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office identified one attacker by a “dork stamp,” referring to a scope injury on his nose and eyebrow.

But authorities are still seeking information. Two additional vehicles may be connected to the incident, although exactly how remains unclear. They are described as a 2000s custom matte black Toyota Tacoma and a 2000s white GMC with aftermarket fender flares darker than the vehicle. Anyone with information related to the case should contact Wyoming’s Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at (307)885-5231.