Wyoming Teen Faces Life in Prison for Alleged Fatal Shooting of Mother
Prosecutors in Wyoming have detailed a harrowing domestic incident where a 14-year-old boy allegedly retrieved a hidden firearm and shot his mother on his bedroom floor after she called him a derogatory name during an argument. The tragic event unfolded on March 7 at the family's residence, following disputes over a stolen tablet and academic performance.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Shooting
According to court documents and statements from Assistant District Attorney Kelly Strickland, the evening began with an initial confrontation between Havoc Leone and his parents regarding a tablet he had allegedly stolen from one of his mother Theresa McIntosh's cleaning business clients. After this first argument, family members dispersed throughout the home—Leone to the kitchen for homework, McIntosh to her son's room to work on a puzzle, and her husband to the basement for video games.
Later, Leone went upstairs where a second argument erupted with his mother, focusing on math grades and the stolen tablet. McIntosh demanded the password for the device, which Leone claimed was written in a notebook stored in his closet. He retrieved both the notebook and a concealed 9mm handgun from the closet, keeping the weapon hidden during the confrontation.
"He tossed her the notebook, and when she leaned to reach for it, she yelled that the teen was 'retarded,'" prosecutors stated. "Before pulling the trigger, he allegedly replied: 'Yes, mom.'"
Aftermath and Investigation
Leone's father discovered his son standing outside the bedroom appearing panicked. When questioned, the teen allegedly responded, "I don't know, it just went off." The father immediately called emergency services. McIntosh was still alive when police arrived and was life-flighted to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Investigators determined the weapon was a black Taurus 9mm handgun belonging to McIntosh that was normally kept in her vehicle. Leone admitted he had secretly taken the firearm from the glove compartment approximately a week earlier and concealed it inside a boot in his bedroom closet.
Legal Proceedings and Defense Arguments
Leone was arrested on a $500,000 bond and charged as an adult with first-degree murder. Despite being tried as an adult, the 14-year-old will not face the death penalty due to his age. At his arraignment on Monday, Leone entered a not guilty plea and remained mostly quiet, responding only "alright" to judicial questions.
Defense attorneys Jonathan Foreman and Emily Williams presented arguments highlighting the defendant's troubled upbringing. They claimed this wasn't the first time McIntosh had used derogatory language toward her son, alleging she had done so throughout his childhood. The defense further asserted Leone was raised by a mentally ill mother who regularly pulled his hair and slapped him, leaving him emotionally vulnerable.
During cross-examination, Foreman asked Laramie County Sheriff's Office Detective Miles DePrimo whether a child who had heard such insults "his whole childhood would start to question that." The detective responded, "Maybe."
Conflicting Accounts and Deliberate Actions
Initially, Leone told investigators there had been a struggle over the weapon and the gun might have discharged accidentally. However, as the investigation progressed, prosecutors say he described a far more deliberate sequence of events. According to the affidavit, Leone admitted to having "thoughts about killing McIntosh in the past, specifically when she would make him do things he didn't want to do."
The defense requested the judge reduce Leone's bond to $50,000, promising his father would assume custody if the family could pay bail. This request was denied, with the judge citing the seriousness of the allegations. Strickland emphasized, "As of right now, the community is safer [with Leone in jail]."
The trial is scheduled to begin on August 10, where Leone faces the possibility of life imprisonment if convicted. The case continues to develop as both prosecution and defense prepare their arguments surrounding this tragic domestic incident.
