Billings, Montana – A Forsyth man who was charged with assaulting two men with a gun in one incident and a woman with a metal bar in another pleaded to the allegations on May 11, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich. Edward Leroy Widner III, 29, admitted guilt to five counts in a superseding information charging him with two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Both assaults were committed in Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. On each count, Widner is subject to a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
Timothy J. Cavan, a U.S. Magistrate Judge, presided. Judge Susan P. Watters of the United States District Court will schedule a sentencing date. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory considerations shall be taken into account by the court when determining any punishment. Widner was held while legal action was being taken.
The government claimed that on May 22, 2022, near Lame Deer, Widner used a gun to allegedly assaulting two victims named John Doe 1 and John Doe 2. When Widner arrived at John Doe 1’s house, he started by shooting Doe 2 in the head in the living room. Doe 1 was sleeping in the bedroom when Widner brought Doe 2 inside and warned Doe 1 to get up or Doe 2 would die. Then Widner repeatedly struck Doe 1 in the face. The gun accidentally went off at some point, and a bullet passed through the bed, a wall, and the ground outside the house. Doe 1 sustained severe wounds.
The government also claimed that Jane Doe 1 was assaulted by Widner in March 2020 at Lame Deer and sought medical help for significant wounds. Doe 1 refrained from naming her attacker at the time, fearing heightened risk if she cooperated with law police. Doe 1 said that Widner hit her with a metal pipe among other things while assaulting her. Doe 1 named Widner as her attacker in a recent interview with the FBI.
Kalah A. Paisley, an assistant US attorney, is in charge of the prosecution. The investigation was carried out by the FBI, Northern Cheyenne Investigative Services, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.
