One of Missouri’s highest-ranking law enforcement officials is lucky to be alive after a harrowing experience in Wyoming.
Missouri Deputy Attorney General Shaun Mackelprang was rescued Wednesday morning after spending six days stranded in Wyoming’s rugged Wind River Range following a climb to the summit of the state’s highest peak.
Advertisement
Mackelprang, 55, was spotted at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday near Scott Lake in western Wyoming’s Wind River Range, according to the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office.
“Mackelprang was located this morning in the vicinity of Scott Lake following an extensive search effort utilizing ground search teams, the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office Drone Team, and Tip Top Search and Rescue’s helicopter,” the sheriff’s office said, according to the New York Post.
Mackelprang was airlifted from the rugged terrain by helicopter and later reunited with his family following the six-day ordeal.
Advertisement
He began his hike Aug. 20 at the Green River Lakes Trailhead, setting out toward Gannett Peak, which at 13,804 feet is the highest mountain in Wyoming.
Mackelprang reached the summit two days later, but his family still does not know precisely what happened during his descent.
Advertisement
His brother, Romel, said Mackelprang was dehydrated when rescuers located him and apparently became disoriented while descending from the summit in deteriorating weather conditions.
The Wind River Range was hit by thunderstorms and powerful winds during Mackelprang’s trek, adding to the dangers posed by the remote and difficult terrain, The Post noted further.
The search for Mackelprang intensified after authorities located his rental vehicle at the Green River Lakes Trailhead but found no sign that he had returned from his hike.
As the days passed without contact, search-and-rescue crews stepped up efforts to locate him in the vast and rugged Wind River Range.
Missing Missouri Deputy AG is found ALIVE 6 days after disappearing during Wyoming hike https://t.co/syZdiSiAfI
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) August 27, 2026
The sheriff’s office publicly announced the search Tuesday, asking anyone who might have encountered Mackelprang on the trail or had information about his whereabouts to contact authorities.
“We also sincerely thank the public and backcountry users who shared information, reviewed photographs and GPS data, shared the missing-person information, and helped get the word out,” the sheriff’s office added.
Romel suggesting that his brother was an experienced hiker, explaining that he was working on ascending the tallest peaks in each state.
Wyoming “is number 45,” Romel added.
Advertisement
Missouri Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway also shared her relief after Mackelprang was found.
“We are thrilled to hear that Deputy Attorney General Shaun Mackelprang has been located,” Hanaway wrote in a social media post.
“Our office is beyond grateful for everyone’s prayers and the steadfast work of the Sublette County Sheriff’s Office and drone team, Tip Top Search and Rescue’s volunteers and helicopter crew, and Wyoming State leaders,” she added.
Mackelprang has been with the state attorney general’s office since 2021.
Advertisement
Democrats suffered another legal setback in Missouri earlier this month after a judge in Cole County, where the capital Jefferson City is located, ruled in favor of Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins.
Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled that Missouri’s referendum process cannot be used to challenge congressional maps approved by the Legislature.
The decision allows a new Republican-backed congressional map to remain in effect for November’s midterm elections, potentially strengthening the GOP’s position in the battle for control of the U.S. House.
Green ruled that Missouri’s constitutional referendum provisions “do not apply to congressional redistricting enacted by the General Assembly,” siding with Hoskins in the closely watched legal battle over the Trump-backed map.
Advertisement
Green also determined that Hoskins acted lawfully when he declined to certify the referendum petition seeking to challenge the new congressional boundaries.
The judge ordered that the Republican-backed map “remains in full force and effect for the 2026 general election,” clearing a major legal obstacle to its use in November.
Richard von Glahn, the plaintiff challenging the map, filed an appeal Wednesday evening, according to the court docket, ensuring that the legal battle over Missouri’s congressional boundaries will continue.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
