A small Wyoming town is in shock after a heartbreaking tragedy that left three young girls dead and one fighting for her life. Their own mother, 32-year-old Tranyelle Harshman, shot all four of her daughters before turning the gun on herself.
It happened on Monday afternoon in Byron, a tiny town in Big Horn County, about 90 miles south of Billings, Montana. At around 3 p.m., Harshman called 911 to report the unimaginable—she had shot her children inside their home on East Shoshone Avenue.
During the call, she told dispatchers that her daughters had been shot and that she believed they were dead. According to a statement from the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, she even described where each child could be found. She said two of the girls were in cribs upstairs, and the other two were in their shared bedroom downstairs. Then, she told the dispatcher she was in her own bedroom and was about to do the same to herself.
The 911 operator desperately tried to keep her on the phone, begging her to stay on the line until help arrived. But Harshman refused, saying it was “too late.” Moments later, the call ended.
When law enforcement arrived, they found a devastating scene. Two of the girls—a 9-year-old and a 2-year-old—had already died from gunshot wounds to the head. The other two—a 7-year-old and another 2-year-old—were still alive, but critically wounded.
Tragically, the second toddler died shortly after. Harshman herself was found still breathing despite a gunshot wound to her head. Both she and the 7-year-old were rushed to North Big Horn Hospital. The little girl was later flown to a hospital in Salt Lake City, where she is still fighting for her life. Harshman died the next day.
Neighbors in the quiet town of Byron are struggling to make sense of what happened. One man who lived next door said the family had been in the home for about a year. He often saw the girls outside playing and petting his dogs. Harshman, he said, appeared to be a stay-at-home mom and showed no signs of distress.
“I wish I had known something was going on,” he told the media, tears in his eyes. “I could have done something about it. It’s terrible. Just f—ing terrible.”
Now, two devastated fathers are left grieving, trying to process this unimaginable loss. Family and friends have started GoFundMe campaigns to help them with medical bills and funeral costs.
One fundraiser supports the father and stepmother of the two older girls. Their 7-year-old daughter, Olivia, remains in critical condition with a severe traumatic brain injury. The family is asking for prayers and support as they hold onto hope that she can recover.
“All prayers and whatever higher faith or power you believe in are appreciated for the family at this time,” the fundraiser says. “If she pulls through, it’s going to be a long road ahead. Right now, everything is unknown.”
Another fundraiser is dedicated to the father of the two younger girls, helping him cover funeral expenses and other costs as he struggles to cope with this tragedy.
“This devastating event has left Cliff and his loved ones reeling in grief,” the page reads. “The financial burden of funeral expenses, ongoing family support, and other related costs only adds to their pain.”
As of now, the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office has not released final incident reports. But one thing is clear—the entire town of Byron is mourning. A once-happy home is now the scene of heartbreak, leaving a community searching for answers in the wake of an unthinkable tragedy.
