Man lured murder victim to an ambush on 'The Farm' where 5 men were waiting to kill him for assaulting a relative: Police

A Wyoming antheral has been arrested successful transportation with the ambush-style murder of different antheral who was believed to beryllium a home abuser.

Jose A. Gonzalez, 55, was charged with first-degree execution successful transportation with the decease of 72-year-old Rex Allen Lofts. According to an affidavit obtained by section quality outlet Cowboy State Daily, an cause from the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI)  who was investigating the shooting decease of Lofts, who was recovered dormant successful his motortruck connected April 21, 2025, said that a web of informants had akin stories astir what happened to Lofts.

So far, physical evidence has reportedly been tied to lone 1 suspect: Gonzalez. He is accused of luring Lofts to a spot connected the Wind River Reservation known locally arsenic "The Farm," wherever 5 different radical were waiting to ambush him.

According to the affidavit, a cardinal fig successful the lawsuit was identified arsenic E.E. Authorities said E.E. was the nephew of a pistillate Lofts was dating successful 2024, and Lofts allegedly abused her. The informant told the cause that E.E.'s aunt showed up astatine his location bruised and "bleeding from her nose." The aforesaid informant said that E.E. aboriginal told him that helium had "done it," meaning that helium killed Lofts.

After speaking to informants, authorities determined that the idiosyncratic who rode with Lofts to the Farm was Gonzalez. According to the affidavit, Gonzalez's DNA was recovered connected the steering instrumentality of Lofts' truck, wherever his remains were recovered months later, and connected Lofts' turned-out pants pockets.

Authorities judge the alleged transgression took spot astir Dec. 2, 2024.  The motivation, according to the informant who spoke with E.E., was retaliation for the alleged battle connected E.E.'s aunt. E.E. reportedly told the informant that helium wanted to "scare" Lofts "[b]ecause helium kept putting his hands connected my auntie."

When the DCI cause spoke to Gonzalez, helium said that helium rode successful the cab of Lofts' motortruck with him to the Farm aft Lofts believed that his woman was determination to person a talk. Authorities said that it was Gonzalez who told Lofts that she was there. When the 2 men arrived astatine the Farm, they were met by the 5 men, who were allegedly waiting for him and opened occurrence connected Lofts. Gonzalez said that during the alleged shooting, helium "kind of rolled retired the broadside of the door."

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After the alleged shooting, 3 of the suspects moved Lofts' assemblage retired of the driver's seat, robbed him of $90, the jewelry helium was wearing, his gun, and 3 grams of meth, officials say. One of the men allegedly got into the driver's spot of Lofts' reddish pickup, portion E.E. and different fishy got into their ain conveyance and followed down arsenic they drove to the determination wherever Lofts' pickup was yet recovered with his remains inside.

According to Cowboy State Daily, Gonzalez was charged with first-degree murder, accessory earlier the information of aggravated battle and battery, and accessory earlier the information of aggravated robbery. He was booked into the Fremont County Jail, wherever helium remains successful custody. His adjacent tribunal day was not available.

No different suspects person been arrested successful transportation with the decease of Lofts.