By Cali O’Hare
Pinedale Roundup
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

PINEDALE — Orion Schlesinger, now 19, pleaded guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree and felony theft of a firearm in the February death of Dakota Farley, a 23-year-old autistic man who considered Schlesinger and his co-defendant Rowan Littauer, 19, to be his “closest, most trusted friends.”

Schlesinger now faces 54 years to life in prison. 

For stealing Farley’s pistol, Schlesinger was also sentenced to 8-10 years in prison, to be served concurrently, according to court filings.

At his arraignment in district court on March 12, Schlesinger had pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness and not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and felony theft. 

Over the summer, he underwent a court-ordered mental health evaluation, the results of which found him competent to stand trial. A jury trial was set to begin on Nov. 17. 

As part of a signed plea agreement struck with Sublette County Prosecutor Clayton Melinkovich and filed with the district court on Oct. 3, Schlesinger’s original charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree was amended to conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree, a felony punishable by 20 years to life in prison.

Appearing in front of 9th Judicial District Judge Kate McKay on Oct. 16 at what was originally scheduled as a pretrial conference, Schlesinger changed his plea to guilty to those charges. 

Melinkovich provided the factual basis for the change of plea, supplying evidence and information from the affidavits of investigators, Schlesinger’s peers, and his own admissions in recorded interviews with detectives. 

Melinkovich told the court about how Schlesinger and Farley would play video games together and cruise around together, including traveling to Rock Springs in Farley’s vehicle. He explained that on that fateful February night, Schlesinger woke up his then-pregnant girlfriend, a juvenile identified in court records by her initials, and informed her that he was going with Littauer to kill Farley. 

The prosecutor described the teens’ one-and-a-half-mile walk in 32-degree weather with a 20 mph wind to Farley’s Big Piney home and how they entered his living room. Littauer is accused of shooting Farley twice with arrows fired from a compound bow, while Schlesinger was present.

The arrows penetrated Farley’s chest and killed him instantly, according to a March 12 forensic autopsy report compiled by Dr. Joseph K. White.

 

A secret selfie

Melinkovich also described to the court a selfie featuring Schlesinger and Littauer that was snapped on their walk home from Farley’s house after the alleged murder. The selfie depicts Littauer and Schlesinger with what Melinkovich called “a toothy grin” illuminated by the glow of a street light in the early morning hours of Feb. 2.

Farley’s parents, Ray and Pamela, told the Roundup they didn’t know about the selfie until the Oct. 16 change of plea hearing, and they were deeply disturbed by its existence. 

They attended the hearing in person, along with friends and family. The parents, wearing bracelets with the words, “I love someone with autism,” each clutched necklaces containing the ashes of their son as they listened to the proceedings.

Pamela told the Roundup outside the courthouse on Oct. 19, “He (Schlesinger) wants to raise his son, but I’ll never get to finish raising mine.”

Sentencing

Schlesinger will be sentenced in Sublette County District Court on Thursday, Dec. 18. 

Melinkovich requested that the judge set aside three hours to allow Farley’s family and friends to deliver their victim impact statements. If Judge McKay accepts the recommendation from the plea agreement, Schlesinger will spend the next 54 years in prison, eligible for release when he is 73 years old.

In a Sept. 4 letter sent to Judge McKay and obtained by the Roundup, Schlesinger asked the judge for a chance to “grow, be better, and live as productively as possible.” He said he wants “to be a better father for my son,” and wrote, “I do not believe I deserve life in prison for Dakota’s death, but my decisions and fears did play a part in preventing that evening.”

Schlesinger also pointed a finger at Littauer, writing, “I do blame Rowan for that night but am angry I did not at least run away for help.”

 

Littauer’s trial scheduled

As Schlesinger prepares for sentencing in December, his co-defendant Littauer still faces a five-day jury trial set to begin in Sublette County District Court on Jan. 12, 2026. 

He is charged with murder in the first degree and mutilation of a dead human body for his alleged role in Farley’s death, and he pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness during his April 7 arraignment. 

In addition to the selfie, 40 other exhibits of evidence are expected to be introduced at Littauer’s trial, including a recorded interview of Littauer by detectives, surveillance footage from Big Piney High School and a Taco Bell, multiple messages between Littauer and other juveniles, recorded phone calls between Littauer and others, a compound bow, multiple arrows, broadhead arrow tips, a bottle containing bleach, and autopsy photos of Farley’s injuries.

Numerous witnesses are set to testify at Littauer’s trial, including Sublette County Sheriff’s detective Sgt. Travis Lanning, deputy Ryan Tollison, detective Ryan Day, and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation agent Kimberly Ley. 

Multiple juveniles are also scheduled to testify, including the student who allegedly received texts from Littauer’s phone linking him to the murder, and the juvenile mother of Schlesinger’s child, to whom he allegedly confided about his involvement in the incident on Feb. 2.

Littauer remains in custody at the Sublette County Detention Center on a $5 million, cash-only bond. He faces life in prison if convicted.

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