By Rana Jones
Kemmerer Gazette
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

KEMMERER — New Zealand woman Monique Sullivan was sentenced last month to 12-17 years in prison for manslaughter in the stabbing death of her fiancé.

According to a sworn affidavit by Lincoln County detective Jody Gardner, on Feb. 20, the dispatch center in Kemmerer received a call that Andrew Moore had been stabbed. Moore was transported to South Lincoln Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries, specifically a deep stab wound to his left side. 

Moore and his fiancé, Sullivan, were working on the Taliaferro Ranch in Lincoln County, shearing sheep with a group from New Zealand. 

According to the affidavit, a coworker of Sullivan’s, Stacy Hikawai, was in the trailer when the stabbing took place. 

Hikawai told detective Gardner that the group had been drinking heavily before the stabbing and that Sullivan and Moore had been arguing. After an insult from Moore that prompted Sullivan to leave the group and retreat to her own trailer, Hikawai followed her to comfort her, and they were later joined by Moore. 

Hikawai stated that Moore and Sullivan began arguing but she fell asleep on their couch. She awoke to Moore saying something to the effect of “Why did you do that?” 

Hikawai noticed that Moore was bleeding heavily and there was blood on Sullivan’s hands and a bloody kitchen knife on the counter. 

The affidavit notes that while she was at the hospital, Sullivan saw Moore’s coat sitting near an examination room and made a spontaneous utterance that she had stabbed him. 

The physician advised that Sullivan was going to be treated for her self-inflicted knife wound. She was later arrested and has since been at the Lincoln County Detention Center in Kemmerer. 

On the morning of Feb. 20, Sgt. Cory Stoof and deputies John Jackman and Cody Adams executed a search warrant with detective Gardner. 

Sullivan later told Gardner that though Moore had been verbally abusive, he had not been physically abusive, and she was not in fear when she grabbed the knife — just angry. 

On Nov. 17, the 12- person jury settled on charges of voluntary manslaughter — which comes with a sentence of no more than 20 years in prison — instead of the original charge of second-degree murder, which is punishable by 20 years to life in prison. 

Sullivan also must pay $7,000 in restitution and $425 in other court costs and fees.