Moorcroft Man Accepts Plea Deal in Aggravated Assault Case Following Domestic Violence Incident

A 43-year-old Moorcroft, Wyoming, man accused of a violent domestic assault that ended with his wife stabbing him in apparent self-defense has agreed to a plea deal, avoiding more serious charges, Cowboy State Daily reports.

Michael Hammond Jr. has entered a “no contest” plea to two counts of aggravated assault, each carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The plea agreement, filed in Crook County District Court, stipulates that Hammond will be sentenced on June 13 before Judge Michael McGrady.

The charges stem from an incident on April 17, 2024, when Hammond allegedly returned home from work in Gillette while under the influence of alcohol and initiated a prolonged and violent attack on his wife. According to court documents, he physically overpowered her, threw her across the room, choked her, and forcibly poured water down her throat. The affidavit states that Hammond outweighs his wife by approximately 80 pounds.

In response, the woman reportedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Hammond in the neck to stop the attack. Afterward, he fled the scene in a Jeep Grand Cherokee and turned up later that night at a Nebraska hospital with stab wounds. Law enforcement tracked his movements across state lines and found significant physical evidence of a violent altercation at the couple’s Moorcroft home.

The scene investigators described included overturned furniture, pools of blood in the kitchen, torn clumps of hair, and blood-covered kitchen surfaces. A serrated knife with dried blood was also recovered.

Hammond was initially charged with multiple felonies, including attempted second-degree murder, strangulation of a household member, and a habitual criminal enhancement — the most serious of which could have resulted in a life sentence. Under the terms of the plea agreement, those charges have been dropped by Crook County Deputy Attorney DaNece Day.

The agreement also outlines a recommended $3,000 fine, standard court costs, and restitution totaling $21,444.95. Roughly half of the restitution is intended to reimburse the state for costs incurred, with the remainder compensating the victim for unreimbursed medical expenses.

According to the agreement, if Judge McGrady rejects the plea deal, Hammond will not be allowed to withdraw his no-contest pleas.

Hammond’s public defender, Brandon Booth, declined to comment on the case.