A 25-year-old man in Wyoming faces grave allegations after reportedly taking the life of his child’s mother, leaving their young daughter to make the heartbreaking discovery and inform authorities with the words, “Daddy was mad” and “Mommy’s dead.”

Sterling Louis Black was apprehended on Saturday and is now charged with second-degree murder in the death of 24-year-old Angelina Rose Bell, according to official records.

The Riverton Police Department’s news release states that officers responded to reports of a possible deceased woman at the Ol’ Wyoming Motel, located on North Federal Boulevard in Riverton, on the morning of March 7.

Upon arrival, first responders discovered Bell within one of the motel rooms and immediately secured the area, allowing detectives to launch a homicide investigation.

Detectives quickly suspected foul play in Bell’s demise, particularly after finding a 9 mm shell casing near her body. Black emerged as the primary suspect and later turned himself in to authorities that same afternoon.

Details remain sparse as police continue their investigation, with officials withholding further information at this time.

However, additional details about what investigators believe happened inside the motel room emerged in court documents obtained by Cowboy State Daily.

According to a probable cause affidavit cited by the outlet, the victim’s young daughter was the one who discovered her mother’s body. A 911 caller said the “little girl found her mother and was not sure if she was conscious, but could see lots of blood.”

Investigators responding to the scene determined the woman had suffered an apparent gunshot wound to the face, according to the court documents.

But the most disturbing details came from the couple’s young daughter, who spoke with responding officers.

“Momma’s in my bathroom,” the child reportedly told police.

Authorities later brought the girl to the police station, where she spoke with a victim-witness coordinator. During those conversations, the girl reportedly made several chilling statements about what had happened inside the motel room.

Among them, investigators wrote, were:

• “Daddy went for a walk.”
• “Mommy has blood on her.”
• “Daddy was mad at Mommy.”
• “Mommy’s dead.”

Inside the bathroom, detectives reportedly recovered a spent 9 mm shell casing from the toilet bowl. They also found a plastic handgun case for a SAR 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, though the firearm itself was not initially located. The case contained two empty magazines, investigators said.

Bell’s body was examined at the scene by the Fremont County coroner.

Bell appeared to have a bullet entry wound near the bridge of her nose next to her right eye, the affidavit reportedly said. Investigators also observed stippling — a pattern caused by gunpowder particles striking the skin — across her face, including her nose, forehead, eyes, and right cheek.

The presence of stippling and the absence of gas burns suggested the weapon was fired from “several inches to 2 feet” away, according to the affidavit.

Investigators later recovered a fired bullet on the bathroom floor in front of the vanity, and authorities noted there was no exit wound.

“Also located in the bathroom were signs of drug and alcohol use,” the detective wrote.

No nearby motel guests reported hearing a gunshot or argument, investigators said.

Several hours after Bell’s body was discovered, Black notified authorities he planned to turn himself in.

According to Cowboy State Daily, Black’s father told police he found his son in an abandoned trailer on his property and urged him to “do what is right.” The father also turned over a SAR 9 mm handgun whose serial number matched the case found in the motel room, police said.

Second-degree murder in Wyoming carries a possible sentence of 20 years to life in prison.