Riverton Native Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Homicide of Casper Resident

Riverton Native Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Homicide of Casper Resident

Stacy Roberts Medicinetop, a 37-year-old Riverton native, pleaded guilty in district court to the second-degree homicide of Casper resident Daniel Robert Swope last spring. The plea was changed before Judge Josh Eames, with the state agreeing to limit its sentencing argument to 40-50 years in prison.

During the court hearing, Medicinetop admitted to getting into a fight with Swope, pulling out a knife, and stabbing him, resulting in his death. He then confessed to panicking and taking Swope’s Jeep, which he later abandoned on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The plea agreement allows Medicinetop to serve 9-10 years for grand theft while serving the sentence for homicide.

The incident came to light on May 2, 2023, when a man reported seeing dried blood in the back stairwell of Swope’s residence on East 3rd Street. Police found Swope in a pool of dried blood with multiple knife wounds to his torso and neck. Medicinetop remained at large for over two months until he was found living in Vermont and arrested on July 20.

Evidence presented in court included a shoe print in the blood matching Medicinetop’s sneakers purchased from a state prison commissary, as well as a prison-issued shirt with his name and ID number found at the crime scene. The prosecutor suggested that Medicinetop had been Swope’s house guest at the time of the incident.

The exact timeline of the homicide remains unclear, but a neighbor reported hearing Swope yell “no, no” several days prior to the discovery of his body. Swope, a father of four who enjoyed cooking and was pursuing a career in real estate, was remembered fondly in his obituary.

The case has shocked the community, with many expressing disbelief at the tragic turn of events. Medicinetop’s sentencing is set to take place in the coming weeks, where he will face the consequences of his actions.