Cody woman says FedEx driver barged into her home without permission

A Cody woman says she was shook-up when a FedEx driver let himself into her home uninvited and without warning to get a signature on a package. She said he’s lucky her dog was upstairs, and wants to warn people about how dangerous that can be.

Natalie Singer said the incident happened around 1:30 p.m. on April 1, while she was doing dishes. Her husband and children were also home at the time, although in other rooms. Singer said she had her back to the front door when she heard someone coming into her house through the mudroom.

“At first I thought it might be my brother-in-law,” she said. “Then someone said ‘hello’ and walked into the living room.” Singer said she has a doorbell system, and while she was expecting a delivery that day, she did not anticipate the driver walking straight into her house. “He just opened my front door, closed it, came inside and yelled ‘hello,'” she said. “He seemed very comfortable doing it. He didn’t think it was a problem.”

Singer said her husband came into the room shortly after and was also surprised to find a stranger inside their house. “My husband came around the corner fast and thought it was someone I invited in,” she said. “We were both shocked.”

What stuck with her afterward wasn’t just the confusion — it was the realization of what could have happened. Singer said her household includes three dogs, including a tall American pit bull that was kept upstairs that afternoon. She believes the delivery driver was lucky for that. “He’s very lucky my dog was upstairs,” she said. “If that dog had been downstairs when he walked in without permission, it could have been a completely different situation.”

Since the incident, Singer said she has changed how she manages her pets inside the home. She said she now considers keeping the dog downstairs whenever she is working in the kitchen or spending time on the main level. “It made me realize that even during the day, even when you’re home, things can happen that you don’t expect,” she said. Singer said she and her husband contacted FedEx after the incident, but have not received any follow-up response. FedEx had not responded to requests for comment by publication time.

Dave Patterson, a retired law enforcement officer who spent 10 years serving in Cody and taught criminal justice, said he could not think of a circumstance where a delivery person would be authorized to enter a private residence without permission. He said determining whether a crime happened depends heavily on intent. “If it reaches a point where there are other factors, that’s when it becomes something more serious, like burglary,” he said.

Patterson also noted the risk involving dogs. “Usually, if there’s a dog involved, you’re supposed to report it,” he said. “I would venture to say there’s probably nobody that would charge a homeowner if that dog went after someone in their own home.” He added that the situation also raises the risk for an armed homeowner to react defensively with a weapon, especially in a gun-friendly state like Wyoming.

Under Wyoming law, “unlawful entry” happens when someone enters or remains in an occupied structure without authorization. A delivery-related purpose does not automatically grant permission to enter a private home. Under Wyoming’s Castle Doctrine, homeowners have no duty to retreat within their own residence and may be justified in using reasonable force to defend themselves against an unlawful entry. However, these cases are highly fact-specific and depend on the totality of circumstances.

Singer said she ultimately chose to share her story to raise awareness, particularly in small towns where familiarity can sometimes blur boundaries. “Our town is small,” she said. “I just want people to be aware. If I had been alone, I don’t know how that would have gone.” What happened inside her home lasted only moments. But in a different house, with a different dog, or a different reaction from a startled homeowner, it could have ended very differently.