A Missoula, Montana man will spend the rest of his life in federal prison after a jury found him guilty in a sweeping murder-for-hire conspiracy tied to a large-scale marijuana operation that stretched from northern Nevada into California. Prosecutors said the case also involved witness tampering, stalking that resulted in death, firearms offenses and a drug trafficking scheme measured in tons, not ounces.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada announced the life sentence yesterday in a post on X, noting the term imposed and linking to case records and a Justice Department release. U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Conviction, Counts and Sentencing
Federal prosecutors said a jury convicted Cory Spurlock last September on a slate of federal charges: murder-for-hire conspiracy; tampering with a witness by killing; causing death through use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; two counts of stalking resulting in death; and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. The Justice Department release noted that Spurlock faced a statutory maximum of life imprisonment at sentencing, which is exactly what the judge handed down. U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors and Agents React
Justice Department officials said the conviction underscores the gravity of the violence and “the devastating loss of lives,” while publicly crediting trial prosecutors, the Victim Witness Unit and a roster of law enforcement partners for pushing the case across the finish line. The announcement highlighted the role of the FBI Las Vegas Division and other agencies that spent years untangling the conspiracy. U.S. Attorney’s Office.
What Prosecutors Say Happened
According to local reporting that tracked the federal case, investigators tied the violence to a large marijuana distribution hub in Mound House, Nevada, and traced the investigation back to the June 19, 2020 disappearance of Jered Stefansky. That reporting says Spurlock and co-conspirators allegedly stalked and then killed William and Yesenia Larsen on November 8, 2020, leaving their bodies along U.S. Highway 395. Stefansky’s skeletal remains were later recovered at the Rye Patch Recreation Area. KOLO.
Multi-Agency Investigation
Prosecutors said the case drew on a long list of agencies, including the FBI’s Las Vegas Division, the DEA’s Los Angeles Division, the ATF’s San Francisco Field Division and several county sheriff’s offices in Nevada and California. Local outlets and federal officials described it as an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation that pooled personnel and resources from federal and local partners to chase leads across state lines. KPAX.
Legal Context and Appeals Path
The prosecution drew extra attention earlier in the case when federal prosecutors briefly indicated they would seek the death penalty, a move a judge later rejected as procedurally improper, a decision that was reported nationally and held up as an example of the case’s legal complexity. With that procedural history and the serious federal counts on the table, post-conviction challenges and appeals are expected as the defense maps out its next moves. Associated Press.
Victims and Next Steps
The victims, William and Yesenia Larsen, were named in court filings and news coverage, while Stefansky’s family has been pushing for answers since he vanished in 2020. Prosecutors said the matter will remain a priority for OCDETF partners even with the life sentence in place, and future court records will show whether Spurlock files post-trial motions or appeals. Local coverage and federal releases detail the victims, the investigation and how the case finally landed in a Nevada courtroom for judgment. KOLO.
