The Laramie County District Attorney's Office has amended the charge against a 21-year-old Cheyenne man accused of fatally shooting his roommate on Nov. 14.

Cody Hess was facing a charge of second-degree murder or, in the alternative, voluntary manslaughter for the death of 35-year-old Michael Robbins, but the DA's Office, on Dec. 13, filed a brief in support of probable cause in support of alternative charges and the second-degree murder count was dismissed.

The change came about after Circuit Court Judge Denise Nau failed to find evidence that Hess acted with malice -- a requirement for a jury to convict someone of second-degree murder.

Hess has been bound over to District Court on the voluntary manslaughter charge and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. His arraignment date has yet to be scheduled.

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