Wyoming U.S. Attorney Murray steps down

Wyoming Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Murray is stepping down from the position he’s held since last year after 27 years working for the U.S. Department of Justice, according to a prepared statement from his office.

“It has been an absolute honor to serve the people of this great nation,” Murray said.

“For nearly 30 years, I had the privilege of serving alongside of incredibly dedicated law enforcement agents and officers from state, local, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies who work every day to keep our communities safe,” he said.

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Murray also complimented his fellow attorneys and support staff in his office.

The Wyoming U.S. attorney handles all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the U.S. government within the state.

On Friday, Wyoming First Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Vassallo will replace Murray.

“Bob has been an incredible asset not only to this office, but to the Department of Justice and the many communities we serve in Wyoming,” Vassallo said in a prepared statement.

Vassallo’s term will last until Jan. 27. If President Joe Biden has not appointed a U.S. Attorney for Wyoming by then, the Wyoming Chief U.S. District Judge will appoint a successor to serve the state gets a Presidential appointee.

Murray’s position began in November 2021 when U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed him.

Before he was Acting U.S. Attorney in Wyoming, Murray was the First Assistant U.S. Attorney, and before that was the chief of the criminal division.

Before he joined the office, he served as an attorney for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe — of which he is an enrolled member — and as a litigation associate with the Holland and Hart law firm in its Denver and Cheyenne offices.

Murray earned his law degree at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1990. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming in 1986.