Wyoming Teen Charged With First-Degree Murder After Fatal Shooting of His Mother

Wyoming Teen Charged With First-Degree Murder After Fatal Shooting of His Mother

A tragic incident in Cheyenne, Wyoming, has led to a 14-year-old boy being charged with first-degree murder after authorities say he fatally shot his mother during an argument inside their home.

According to investigators with the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a residence on March 7 at approximately 12:50 p.m. after receiving a report of a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. When first responders arrived, they found 41-year-old Theresa McIntosh unconscious but still breathing with a gunshot wound to the back of her head.

Emergency responders quickly transported McIntosh to a nearby hospital before she was airlifted to a medical facility in Fort Collins, Colorado, for advanced treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, officials confirmed that she died from her injuries the following day, on March 8.

Authorities initially detained a juvenile at the scene while beginning their investigation. The suspect was later identified as Havoc Leone, the victim’s 14-year-old son.

Court documents indicate that Leone initially told deputies that his mother had taken her own life. However, investigators say his story later changed during questioning. According to the investigative affidavit, Leone eventually admitted to shooting his mother while she was inside his bedroom working on a puzzle on the floor. Authorities say he fired a single shot that struck her in the back of the head.

Investigators believe tensions had been building in the household in the days leading up to the shooting. Court records state that about a week before the incident, Leone had argued with his mother after receiving a poor grade in math. During that disagreement, authorities allege he removed a Taurus 9mm handgun from his mother’s vehicle and hid it inside a boot in his bedroom closet.

On the day of the shooting, McIntosh and her common-law husband—who is also Leone’s father—reportedly confronted the teenager about a tablet they believed he had stolen from one of McIntosh’s cleaning clients. During the argument, McIntosh demanded the password to the device, which was written in a notebook located in Leone’s bedroom.

According to investigators, Leone retrieved the notebook but also accessed the hidden handgun at the same time. Authorities say he tossed the notebook toward his mother as she bent down to pick it up. While she was turned away, he allegedly held the handgun with both hands and fired a single shot.

Leone’s father told investigators he had been in the basement playing video games while wearing noise-canceling headphones and initially thought the sound of the gunshot was a balloon popping. When he later went upstairs to check on the situation, he discovered McIntosh critically injured.

Authorities say Leone allegedly told his father, “I don’t know, it just went off,” referring to the firearm. The father immediately called 911 and attempted to help McIntosh while applying pressure to the wound with a towel. He also reported noticing the handgun on the floor nearby, which he said was unusual because the weapon was normally kept in the victim’s vehicle.

Medical professionals who treated McIntosh later told investigators that the injury did not appear consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. This raised further concerns that the shooting was not a suicide.

During interviews with investigators, Leone reportedly admitted that he had previously thought about killing his mother during past arguments when she asked him to do things he did not want to do.

Authorities have now formally charged the teenager with felony first-degree murder. Under Wyoming law, he is expected to be prosecuted as an adult. A judge has reportedly set bond at $500,000.

The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors have not yet announced when the next court hearing in the case will take place.