News
Sheridan Man Found Deceased in Bighorn Mountains
A Sheridan man was found deceased in the Bighorn Mountains west of Buffalo Wednesday during a search conducted after his vehicle was found Tuesday.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Department, in a release on their Facebook page, said Sergei Mindham, 28, of Sheridan, was found a short distance from his vehicle on Billy Creek Access Road in Johnson County.
On March 30th, Johnson County law enforcement was contacted in reference a missing person from Sheridan County, Wyoming. Sheridan area law enforcement issued an “Attempt to Locate” on Mindham, known to be operating a Hyundai Elantra with Wyoming registration.
Initial information provided to law enforcement was Mindham was to report to work on March 26th but did not show up.
The same day Johnson County law enforcement was provided with information showing Mindham last used his cell phone on March 26th and the GPS coordinates were provided.
Representatives from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded the area of the Hunter Corrals and Paradise Guest Ranch, where a search of the area was conducted, revealing no sign of Mindham or his vehicle.
On April 2nd, representatives from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office along with US Forest Service personnel returned to the area of Keno Creek Trail and Rock Creek to conduct a secondary search.
No signs of Mindham were found in the area.
On April 7th Johnson County law enforcement was contacted by a concerned citizen who advised he had located the vehicle from the missing person report on Billy Creek Access Road in the Big Horn Mountains, a location approximately 14.5 air miles from the initial search.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area and verified the vehicle was in fact the vehicle associated with Mindham.
The vehicle was stuck in the snow and no recent human activity was observed in the immediate area.
Johnson County Search and Rescue was notified and dispatched to Billy Creek Access Road in the late afternoon of April 7th where a search was activated.
On April 8th additional resources from Washakie County Search and Rescue, Sheridan County Search and Rescue and a private citizen arrived in the area to assist with the search.
While conducting a ground search of the area, Mindham was found deceased a short distance from his vehicle.
