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Luka Wade Rasmussen (Natrona County Sheriff’s Office).
The teenager accused of accidentally shooting his friend in the head with a handgun during a gaming and marijuana session pleaded not guilty to the charge of involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday, as reported by Cowboy State Daily.
Eighteen-year-old Luka Wade Rasmussen is required to stay in custody with a $500,000 bond after the judge rejected the defense’s request to lower the bail to $100,000. Public defender Marty Scott reportedly mentioned a letter from the teenager’s coworkers at Wendy’s, attesting to his character. However, District Attorney Dan Itzen emphasized the seriousness of the charge and referenced that one of the three guns found on the premises had reportedly been stolen in the summer of 2024.
The victim, 16-year-old Riley Jacob Sears, was with Rasmussen and another teenager residing in the home on February 12, 2025, in Casper, Wyoming. Authorities stated they were playing video games and smoking marijuana, but at one point, Rasmussen retrieved a gun, and it discharged, according to authorities.
The defendant allegedly said he had had the gun resting on his thigh when it went off, but the teenage witness claimed that Rasmussen was pointing it at Sears. Prosecutors have presented photos in court showing Rasmussen pointing the gun at the teenage witness on two separate dates. The latter image happened on Feb. 10 — two days before the fatal shooting.
Police claim that the father of the third teen had told Rasmussen to “get rid of the gun.”
“Rasmussen stated he ran out of the back door on the main floor of the residence and ran to the shed,” police wrote. “Rasmussen stated he threw his gun behind the shed and did not recall removing the magazine or manipulating the gun.”
Police claimed they found the gun behind the shed.
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