Wyoming Murder Charge: Husband Googled 'Cliffs Near Me' Before Driving Wife Off Mountain Road

Forrest Jay Wood, 46, of Colorado faces first-degree murder after driving his pickup off a Wyoming mountain road, killing his wife Virginia. Phone searches revealed he looked up cliffs and life insurance beforehand.

Wyoming Man Charged With Murder After Driving Wife Off Mountain Road Following Searches for 'Cliffs Near Me'

A Colorado man is facing a first-degree murder charge after investigators say he deliberately drove a pickup truck off a steep Wyoming mountain road with his wife inside — then left her to die without summoning help, Law & Crime reports.

Forrest Jay Wood, 46, of Colorado, was arrested Tuesday in Fort Collins. His wife, Virginia Lynne Wood, 44, survived the June 3 crash but died from her injuries beneath a bush roughly 50 yards downhill from the wrecked truck, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Cowboy State Daily.

Phone searches pointed to premeditation

Investigators examining Wood's cellphone found a series of searches made before the crash: "cliffs near me," "scenic overlook near me," and "am i going to die soon." The affidavit also documents searches for "what type of life insurance do I have through work" and "do term life insurances have suicide clauses," as well as searches about vehicles that had gone off cliffs in the area.

Truck accelerated to 57 mph with no braking

Carbon County Sheriff's Office data shows the Chevrolet Silverado accelerated to 57 mph approximately 1.5 seconds before impact on French Creek Road near Saratoga, with the accelerator pressed to 99% throttle until a second before the vehicle left the road. Police found no skid marks or tire impressions at the scene indicating any attempt to stop. Investigators recorded at least five major ground impacts during the vehicle's descent, including a collision with a boulder.

When asked by police why the truck had accelerated, Wood offered no explanation. "I don't know, we were happy. I don't know. I really don't know. I'm sorry. I wish I knew," he allegedly said.

Victim survived the crash but received no help

Virginia Wood's autopsy revealed multiple broken ribs and extensive chest injuries. A forensic pathologist determined she most likely died from blunt-force trauma sustained in the crash. The Carbon County coroner classified her death as a homicide.

Crucially, the pathologist concluded she would not have died immediately from her injuries. The affidavit states: "[Virginia Wood] would have survived the initial crash but would have needed immediate medical care to survive." Police believe her body was moved: "It is likely that decedent was carried to the area where her body was found."

Forrest Wood was found alive farther down the slope. The wreckage went undiscovered for two days, until two passersby spotted it and called 911.

Contradictory statements to investigators

Wood gave conflicting accounts to police at the scene. He initially claimed two other men had been inside the truck, then changed his story to say just one man had been present — a man he described as being "over there in his house" while gesturing west. Wood also allegedly denied being married to Virginia Wood.

Officers at the scene concluded Wood "was either not being honest or was very disoriented" and suspended their questioning.

Awaiting transfer to Wyoming

Wood is currently in custody in Colorado and awaits transfer to Carbon County, Wyoming, where he will face prosecution on the first-degree murder charge.

Source: Law & Crime