Domestic Incident Near Star Valley Ends in Tragedy, Officials Say

With input from Oil City News, Laramie Live, K2 Radio, and Buckrail.

A routine morning in the Star Valley area turned grim Wednesday when a domestic incident on a rural Idaho lane – just under a mile from the Wyoming border – ended with a husband and wife dead, authorities say.

Bonneville County dispatchers took a 911 call at 8:06 a.m. on Jan. 21 from a man who told them he had shot his wife and planned to kill himself. The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office later identified the caller as 43-year-old Christopher Moon; his victim was named as 23-year-old Cassandra Moon. The department says Christopher fatally shot Cassandra and then shot himself as deputies closed in.

“Moments later Christopher was observed using the gun to shoot himself,” the sheriff’s office wrote in its statement.

Deputies from Bonneville County – including a SWAT team – were joined by Lincoln County (Wyo.) sheriff’s deputies and Star Valley Ambulance. Officers found two vehicles parked on Jack Knife Creek Road, a rural stretch northwest of Etna, Wyoming, and made brief phone contact with Christopher in an attempt to get him to surrender. When they approached the scene they discovered both victims deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. Officials said there were no other people involved and the area was secure.

The road and surrounding area were closed for several hours while investigators processed the scene roughly 2.5 miles northwest of Etna. Witnesses reported a heavy law-enforcement response – multiple squad cars, a rescue trailer and dozens of officers – and nearby Thayne Elementary briefly went into a “secure” mode as a precaution.

Local outlets and a family friend’s GoFundMe drew quick attention and an outpouring of grief online. A fundraiser organized by Addie Garn remembers Cassandra – sometimes called “Cassie” by friends – as a devoted mother to three young children. That nickname has been reported locally but not independently confirmed by law enforcement, which is asking the public to avoid sharing unverified details while the investigation continues.

For a small, tight-knit valley where news like this is rare, the incident has hit neighbors hard. Officials are urging privacy for the families and patience as deputies and detectives finish collecting evidence and piecing together exactly what happened.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. For anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts or domestic violence, help is available: call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text WYO to 741-741 for the Crisis Text Line.

This story is developing; authorities say they will release more information as it becomes available.