Wyoming

Father of 4 kids shot by Wyoming mom in murder-suicide is ‘so angry’ — and ‘a mess’ that depression drove her to such horrors

Published

10 months ago

February 13, 2025

Father of 4 kids shot by Wyoming mom in murder-suicide is ‘so angry’ — and ‘a mess’ that depression drove her to such horrors

The father and stepfather of the four little girls shot by their mom before she turned the gun on herself says he is “so angry” — but also “a mess” because she was a loving, “incredible mom” destroyed by mental illness.

Cliff Harshman lost his 2-year-old daughters, Brooke and Jordan, and 9-year-old stepdaughter Brailey in the bloodbath Monday, while his other stepdaughter Olivia, 7, is still fighting for her life.

His wife Tranyelle Harshman, 32, shot all four of her kids at their home in Byron, Wyoming — then turned the gun on herself after calling 911.

The grieving husband and dad told KTVQ the overwhelming loss was “something beyond what I can comprehend.”

Tranyelle Harshman with her husband and four daughters Facebook

“I’m a mess,” he said in a phone interview. “I’m so angry. I don’t even know how to explain this to you. I’m so angry with her for the decision that was made,” he said.

But much of that anger was directed at the mental health issues he believes drove his wife to such horrors, similar to other cases, such as Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of killing her three kids while suffering postpartum depression.

“People don’t understand how mental illness isn’t just a willpower thing. It’s chemical imbalances in your brain.” Harshman told KTVQ of the post-traumatic stress disorder and postpartum depression his wife had battled for at least five years.

“She was an incredible mom and she loved those kids,” he insisted.

Tranyelle Harshman was struggling with postpartum depression and PTSD Facebook

Cliff Harshman was helping to raise the two older girls, Bailey and Olivia, with his wife after she split from their dad, Quinn Blackmer, who is also struggling to comprehend the violence.

“I’m furious. I’m trying my hardest to bury that for a while and to focus on the now because that anger isn’t going to bring my child back,” Blackmer told KTVQ.

“There’s no textbook. There’s no playbook. There are very few people who have gone through this,” he said.

His younger daughter Olivia has been sedated and will be placed in a longer-term coma as doctors battle to lessen the swelling in her brain she suffered as a result of the gunshot.

Blackmer said the early signs were positive after a CT scan on Wednesday showed no serious blood vessel damage. He added that she had been semi-responsive to touch.

Blackmer said he had been singing to his daughter every night in her hospital bed to try and keep a connection to her.

“It makes all of us here very optimistic that things are trending forward,” Blackmer told KTVQ.

Blackmer, a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, said Brailey was looking forward to being baptized into the church.

He said he had relied on his faith to get him through the unthinkable tragedy.

The horrific case has eery similarities to that of Lindsay Clancy, the mom accused of strangling her three kids in a fit of postpartum depression in 2023 inside their home in the Boston suburbs,

Recently, a judge ruled that The New Yorker must release all the audio recordings from its interview with Clancy’s husband, Patrick, regarding her mental state in the run-up to the tragedy.

The magazine’s publisher, Conde Nast, was hit with a summons this Monday to hand over the interview with Patrick Clancy in which he said she’d heard a voice telling her to kill their three children, the Boston Globe reported.

“She did not sound like my wife,” he was quoted as saying at the time.

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Wyoming

GOP Rep. Harriet Hageman launches Senate run in Wyoming

Published

6 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

GOP Rep. Harriet Hageman launches Senate run in Wyoming

Rep. Harriet Hageman, a Republican, is running for Senate in Wyoming next year, seeking to replace retiring GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who announced last week that she would not run for re-election.

Hageman, 63, was elected to be the state’s lone representative in Congress in 2022 after ousting then-Rep. Liz Cheney in a primary. Hageman had Donald Trump’s endorsement against Cheney, a vocal critic of the president, and the congresswoman name-checked the president in her three-minute launch video on Tuesday.

“I stood with President Trump to deliver the largest tax cut in American history, helping working families keep more of their own money,” Hageman said, later adding, “We worked together to secure the border and fund efforts to remove and deport those in the country illegally.”

“We must keep up this fight, and that’s why today I’m announcing my campaign for United States Senate,” Hageman said. “This fight is about making sure the next century sees the advancements of the last while protecting our culture and our way of life. We must dedicate ourselves to ensuring that the next 100 years is the next great American century.”

Hageman had been eyeing a run for governor, but ultimately decided to run for Senate, noting in an interview with Cowboy State Daily published Tuesday that “it’s important that we have someone who can hit the ground running the moment [Lummis] retires. That’s not the place for on-the-job training.”

Hageman added that Trump is “well aware” that she is running for Senate, and she would welcome his endorsement.

It’s not yet clear if Hageman will face a tough fight for the GOP nomination. There are multiple opportunities for other Wyoming Republicans to run statewide, given the open governor’s race and Hageman’s campaign opening up her at-large House seat.

The winner of the GOP primary would be in a strong position to win the Senate seat in the deep-red state. Trump won Wyoming by nearly 46 percentage points last year. Hageman won her second term in 2024 by 48 points.

Although Wyoming is a solidly Republican state, Hageman faced a rowdy crowd at a town hall earlier this year. She was met with boos as she commented on federal government cuts, the Department of Government Efficiency and the future of Social Security.

Hageman called the outbursts “over the top” and said, “It’s so bizarre to me how obsessed you are with federal government.” Her adviser dismissed the disruptions as “pre-planned” and “political theater.”

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Wyoming

After Strong Demand, Wyoming Childcare Provider Grants to Reopen in 2026

Published

18 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

After Strong Demand, Wyoming Childcare Provider Grants to Reopen in 2026

A statewide grant program supporting childcare providers drew 90 applications in just two rounds of funding earlier this year. For the Wyoming Interagency Working Group on Childcare, which launched the initiative, the response affirmed that the program is addressing a significant community need. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has more.

In 2025, the Wyoming Interagency Working Group on Childcare worked collaboratively to award $183,537 to 24 providers. In an effort to build on that success, the grant program will reopen January 2 with applications closing March 1, 2026. Administered by the Wyoming Community Foundation, grants of up to $20,000 per applicant will be awarded with a renewed focus on communities with the greatest childcare shortages.

Grant awards will be prioritized based on requests from high-needs communities as will be outlined in the application and on the Wyoming Community Foundation’s website, along with plans to increase the number of children and families being cared for and engagement or planned engagement with business support services through the Small Business Development Center. Funding for this round of grantmaking includes the Wyoming Maternal and Child Health Unit, Wyoming Department of Family Services, the Wyoming Community Foundation, and the Business Studio at LCCC. To apply for a grant or if you have questions about the application process, you can click here.

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Wyoming

Teton Pass closed in both directions due to avalanche, possibly until Tuesday

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Teton Pass closed in both directions due to avalanche, possibly until Tuesday

WILSON, Wyo. — Another complicated day for Teton Pass commuters.

WY22 over Teton Pass is closed in both directions due to avalanche control as of 8 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 22, according to an alert issued by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT). WYDOT’s estimated opening time for the road is between noon and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Photo: Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center

WYDOT had closed the pass at 3 a.m. Monday for avalanche control. According to a post by the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center (BTAC), a “large explosive triggered avalanche” ended up covering both lanes of the Pass.

“Early this morning, WYDOT crews brought down a large, controlled avalanche at Glory Bowl during their mitigation mission,” the agency posted to Facebook Monday morning. “Due to the extent of the clean up, estimated opening time is between noon and 2 p.m. tomorrow.”

WYDOT confirmed to Buckrail that the dense, heavy slide is being addressed by a dozer on Monday morning, and that clearing the snow will take several hours. The agency expects to share an updated opening time estimate as the cleanup unfolds.

According to BTAC’s Monday forecast, high avalanche danger exists in the Tetons.

“Heavy snowfall and strong wind has created very dangerous avalanche conditions on wind loaded middle and upper elevation terrain,” its forecast states.

This is a developing story. Buckrail will provide information as details become available.

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