Ethen Tabor

Authorities say a 22-year-old man strangled his longtime girlfriend in Powell last week, causing injuries to her neck and head.

Ethen R. Tabor is facing two felony counts of strangulation of a household member in connection with the incident, along with a misdemeanor count of domestic battery. Tabor was arrested on June 23 and released Friday, after a family member posted $50,000 on his behalf.

Deputy Park County Prosecuting Attorney Ericka Smith had recommended the cash-only bond.

If state lawmakers hadn’t made strangulation a felony crime in the relatively recent past, “this would have been charged as an attempted second-degree homicide,” Smith said at a Friday hearing. “The amount of force and damage that Mr. Tabor used and inflicted upon his victim was grave.”

Tabor’s defense attorney, Brigita Krisjansons of Cody, acknowledged the charges are serious, but also noted the defense had yet to review the evidence.

Alleged strangulation

Police were originally called to the couple’s residence around 11:15 a.m. on June 23. Smith said neighbors had heard disputes between Tabor and his girlfriend in the past. In this case, however, there was a commotion, “then there was suddenly silence,” she said, “which is why they went and knocked on the door to figure out what was going on.”

When Sgt. Reece McLain arrived, he said Tabor’s girlfriend was crying, her cheek was red and swollen and there were bruises and swelling on her throat.

The woman said the couple had gotten into an argument that morning and she decided to get her stuff and leave, McLain wrote in an affidavit. However, she said Tabor — who reportedly had been drinking that morning — blocked her way. When she tried pushing past Tabor, he took her to the ground, straddled her and strangled her, the affidavit says of the woman’s account. The woman reportedly told police she couldn’t breathe, which prompted her to bite Tabor’s hand.

When later asked how much pressure Tabor had used on her throat, the woman said “all of it,” according to the affidavit. She reportedly described Tabor’s grip as a 10 out of 10 and his expression as blank, “like he did not give a s—.”

When asked why she thought Tabor had stopped, the woman responded that “she thought Tabor did not want her to die,” McLain wrote.

While the woman was being checked out at Powell Valley Hospital, McLain noted petechiae — that is, broken blood vessels beneath the skin — in both of the woman’s eyes and at the base of each ear. She reportedly told the officer that her brain, throat and eyes were hurting.

One of the felony counts of strangulation alleges Tabor intentionally, knowingly or recklessly caused or tried to cause bodily injury to the woman by impeding her normal breathing or circulation “by applying pressure on the throat or neck” while the other alleges he did or tried to do so “by blocking the nose and mouth.”

As for Tabor, he reportedly told police he wanted his own injuries photographed and documented, then reversed course and said he didn’t want documentation. McLain said he initially “did not observe any obvious injuries,” but later noted a small cut on Tabor’s right middle finger.

Tabor declined to speak with police, but McLain said he overheard the suspect tell his employer that “he had messed up and hoped it did not affect his job.”

Prior incident

Court records show Tabor was previously arrested for allegedly battering the woman in Natrona County in August 2024. Multiple officers responded after a caller reported the sound of gunshots and a woman screaming.

Responding sheriff’s deputies found Tabor’s girlfriend crying, with dried blood on her clothes and hands and swelling on the left side of her face.

Natrona County Sheriff Cpl. Todd Christensen said the woman was “very uncooperative” and refused medical treatment.

The woman said she and Tabor had been arguing, but that it never became physical, Christensen wrote in an affidavit. She reportedly told the corporal that she had anger issues and had broken out all the windows in a nearby SUV, which was where the blood came from.

However, Tabor allegedly admitted that during the couple’s argument, “he hit [the woman] once in the right temple with a closed fist,” Christensen wrote. “[The woman] fell to the ground and appeared to be unconscious.”

Tabor was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery and a small amount of meth was found in his pocket, which led to another misdemeanor charge of possessing a controlled substance. He eventually pleaded guilty to the possession charge and an amended count of breach of peace.

Tabor received a year of probation, which he completed in March. Court records say he went through required counseling and was successfully discharged from the Oxbow Center at the end of February.

‘An opportunity to get out’

During a Friday court hearing on the new charges, Smith alluded to the 2024 incident in Natrona County while arguing that Tabor “is obviously a danger to the community and a danger to [the woman].”

She requested a $50,000 cash only bond, while defense attorney Krisjansons asked for a $15,000 cash or surety bond. Krisjansons said an order to stay away from the woman, a location-tracking ankle monitor and other conditions would address the prosecution’s concerns; she also said Tabor plans to participate in counseling.

Presiding Park County Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah opted to set bail at $75,000 cash or surety, which gave Tabor the option of posting $75,000 or hiring a bondsman for a nonrefundable $7,500 fee.

“I’m looking at this a little bit different way; I do think he needs an opportunity to get out,” Darrah said, also referencing the strength of the case and concerns about public safety.

However, not long after the hearing, Krisjansons stipulated to having the bond modified to the $50,000 cash only figure that Smith had requested.

After a family member posted the cash, Tabor was released from jail early Friday afternoon to await further proceedings.

A preliminary hearing was tentatively set for this week, but it will be rescheduled, as Tabor has since waived his right to a speedy hearing.