The prosecution and defense agreed that Brian Manderfeld deserved an eight- to 20-year prison sentence for attacking his brothers last summer, but his brothers asked for leniency at a court hearing last week.

Manderfeld, who’s now 69, traveled from his home in Evanston to his brothers’ residences in Meeteetse last July, where he reportedly pulled a gun on one brother and fired shots into the other’s home. Notecards found in Manderfeld’s vehicle indicated he’d drafted a plan to tie his brothers up and eventually “sink them in [a] reservoir.”

However, a neighbor was ultimately able to convince Manderfeld to give up his gun and turn himself in to responding officers from multiple agencies. 

At a sentencing in Park County District Court last week, one of Manderfeld’s brothers said they both initially felt very angry and betrayed.

But, Scott Manderfeld said, “as time has passed, that anger and betrayal has been replaced with sadness, pity and compassion.”

The two brothers believe the episode was the result of psychiatric issues coupled with alcoholism, Scott said, and they want Manderfeld to get help. On behalf of his brother and himself, Scott asked for Manderfeld’s sentence to be halved.

“We continue to love Brian, and we only want the best for him,” Scott said, including getting help for his addiction.

District Court Judge Bill Simpson didn’t adopt the brothers’ request, sticking to the plea deal, but he said the love and forgiveness that Scott offered to Manderfeld was both “life-affirming” and “courageous.”

Although the incident was a tragedy, there may have been some good to come from it, the judge said, “and perhaps that good is that the family bond has been reaffirmed.”

Gunfire in Meeteetse

The crime took place on the night of July 16. Manderfeld was reportedly intoxicated and upset, later
telling a sheriff’s deputy that he wanted to get his brothers’ attention.

He arrived at one of his siblings’ homes in Meeteetse armed with a handgun and demanded money, court records say. As Manderfeld and his brother later walked down an alleyway, he fired a couple shots into the ground.

Manderfeld later left that brother, but traveled to Scott’s home and apparently fired five shots through a door window. Scott was able to flee in Manderfeld’s truck and contact law enforcement.

The Park County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office initially filed seven felony charges against Manderfeld, including aggravated robbery, but ultimately settled on two counts of aggravated assault.

Manderfeld was emotional as he admitted to the crimes during a March hearing and he was extremely emotional at his Thursday sentencing hearing.

“I’m sorry for what I did,” Manderfeld told the court, struggling to maintain his composure. “I’m really ashamed of myself and what I let myself become.”

His domestic partner said Manderfeld had been hit hard by the passing of his elderly parents, whom he had taken care of. She said Manderfeld is typically kind and compassionate, but became depressed and addicted to alcohol amid some significant challenges in recent years.

“I had a lot to be thankful for when I concentrated on alcohol, feeling sorry for myself and … I just made myself lonely, I guess,” Manderfeld said.

He said he was actually lucky to have his brothers and family.

The appropriate sentence

“I think it’s been kind of beautiful for all of us to see the transformation in the man that you see today,” Manderfeld’s defense attorney, Cassie Craven, told the court. “He’s made efforts to make amends and reunite with his kids, and this is one of those cases, judge, where it really did serve a much bigger purpose.”

Craven said the eight- to 20-year sentence was appropriate for “circumstances which were extreme and violent, but we believe will never happen again.”

Deputy Park County Prosecuting Attorney Larry Eichele acknowledged the brothers’ request for leniency, but also stood by the agreement.

“I mean, this was in Meeteetse,” Eichele said. “Any number of people could have ended Brian [Manderfeld]’s life at that point, once gunfire started. So I think … that it’s appropriate.”

Although he didn’t modify the plea deal, Simpson did express an openness to reducing Manderfeld’s sentence down the road. He also spoke about the importance of family and faith.

“The best thing in life is hope, the next best thing is forgiveness,” Simpson said. “And I think that this case has a little of each of those components.”

The near-year that Manderfeld has served in the Park County Detention Center since his July arrest, unable to post a $500,000 bond, will count toward his prison sentence.