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Early court proceedings scheduled for manslaughter charge

 

 

Jared Erickson booking photo COURTESY L.C. SHERIFF’S OFFICE

 

The court process is proceeding for a Star Valley Ranch man who was arrested on charges of Voluntary Manslaughter related to the death of his wife,Tennille Erickson, in November. Jared Erickson was taken into custody on Tuesday, May 27 following a six month investigation.

RELATED: STAR VALLEY MAN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER IN CONNECTION TO WIFE’S DEATH

Court documents state that Erickson called 911 at 6:37 p.m. on November 17 reporting that his wife was non-responsive in their bedroom and that there was blood and vomit on the bed. Erickson told the 911 operator that they had been in separate rooms for a few hours and that when he checked on her she was in the condition he called to report. Lifesaving measures were performed by EMS when they arrived on scene, however Tennille was pronounced deceased.

Court documents show that an ensuing investigation revealed Tennille had a history of extensive alcohol abuse and was also taking multiple medications, some of which did not mix well with alcohol. The documents state that both she and Jared had been drinking the previous evening on November 16. Tennille eventually locked herself in the bedroom while Jared stayed out on the couch. Jared told investigators that he checked on Tennille multiple times the following day, entering the room first through an outside door, where he found Tennille snoring. After 6:00 p.m. on November 17 when he checked on her again he found her unresponsive with blood and vomit around her.

Court documents continue to read that an ensuing autopsy revealed that while Tenille suffered from multiple medical issues likely caused by alcohol abuse, her official cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. The post-mortem examiner from Fremont County told investigators that multiple injuries on Tennille’s body were “indicative of multiple events” as they were in various stages of healing, including multiple blows to the front and back of her head. He stated that it would be a “stretch” to call her fatal injuries accidental, and that medical findings aligned with injuries obtained on the 16th would be “absolutely consistent” with findings that she remained alive for several hours before her death the following day.

On the evening of November 17, Jared told investigators that he and Tenille had gotten into a fight the previous night. After going to her room, Tenille sent a text message to Jared that included pictures of bruises and swelling on her face, asking if she should “send those out to everyone.” Erickson told investigators that he did not recall inflicting any injuries or getting in a physical altercation with Tenille.

As the investigation continued in the following days and weeks, Jared was cooperative, including a search of the home, his phone and an interview at the sheriff’s office. During the interview he stated that Tenille would stagger when she drank but would blame it on her swollen ankles. When asked about bruising on her face and body, Jared stated he thought she did it to herself by banging her head on the kitchen or bathroom counter after stumbling and falling, something he stated had happened before on at least one occasion. Erickson also acknowledged that he and Tenille had gotten into physical altercations on previous occasions when they had been drinking, saying that it was “usually him reacting to being assaulted by Tennille,” saying that she would hit him and he would hit her back. “When you’re intoxicated you do dumb things” he stated in the interview, according to the court documents.

The investigation continued with multiple interviews with various family members, friends, emergency responders and medical professionals until Erickson was eventually charged with one count manslaughter and booked into the Lincoln County Detention Center in Kemmerer on May 27. In his initial court appearance, bond was set at $80,000. Bail was posted and Erickson was released from custody. He has not yet entered a plea, which will take place at a preliminary hearing scheduled in Circuit Court for June 26.

Voluntary Manslaughter is a felony punishable by up to twenty years in prison and/or a fine of $10,000. SVI News has contacted the defense attorney for Jared Erickson but had not received a statement by press deadline.