Wyoming Teen Charged with First-Degree Murder in Shooting Death of Mother

A 14-year-old Wyoming boy has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his mother over an argument about a stolen tablet.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 14, 2026, 7:03 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from PEOPLE and local Wyoming news outlets.

Fatal Shooting on Pine Avenue

Tragedy struck a residential neighborhood in Cheyenne when a domestic dispute escalated into a fatal act of violence. On Saturday, March 7, 2026, deputies from the Laramie County Sheriff's Office responded to a distress call in the 2300 block of Pine Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered 41-year-old Theresa McIntosh suffering from a gunshot wound to the back of her head. Though still breathing when discovered, McIntosh was transported to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center before being airlifted to UC Health in Fort Collins, Colorado, where she was eventually pronounced dead.

Conflicting Accounts and Forensic Evidence

The victim's 14-year-old son, who was present in the home along with McIntosh's common-law husband, was immediately taken into custody. Initial reports indicate the teenager told investigators that his mother had taken her own life. However, medical staff and forensic experts quickly cast doubt on this claim, noting the absence of a "contact wound"—a hallmark of self-inflicted firearm injuries. This discrepancy, combined with the location of the wound at the back of the head, shifted the focus toward a homicide investigation.

Motive Linked to Stolen Property and Academic Stress

According to an affidavit of probable cause, the shooting followed an intense argument on the morning of March 7. McIntosh had reportedly accused her son of stealing a tablet from a client of her house-cleaning business and had called the boy a "thief" while he was in his room. Law enforcement further alleges that the teenager had stolen the handgun used in the attack a week earlier, following a "big fight" over a math grade. In interviews with investigators, the boy allegedly admitted to feeling deep-seated anger and hatred toward his mother, stating he felt she did not understand him.