A Massachusetts woman revealed how she was kidnapped on her first day in Wyoming, but ended up making a home in the Cowboy State after finding love.
Janelle Gibson, now 25, moved from the Boston area to work at HF Bar Ranch, a guest ranch outside Buffalo, Wyoming, in May 2023.
Her younger brother accompanied her on the 32-hour road trip and then she dropped him off at the Gilette airport. Cowboy State Diary reported.
After taking a nap in his car, he headed to a nearby Walmart around 6 a.m., where he began checking his shopping list on his phone.
But the moment she put the phone back in her pocket, a strange man approached her and said, ‘I need to tell you something.’
The man, later identified as Alex Sigvaldsen, then 26, gave her two options: She had to go home with him or his friends would burst in and shoot up the store.
Janelle Gibson (pictured), 25, of Massachusetts, was kidnapped on her first day in Wyoming while on her way to her first day as a rancher at HF Bar Ranch.
Despite a poor first impression of Wyoming, she fell in love with a rancher’s farm and built a life in the West.
Sigvaldsen pleaded guilty March 21 to felony kidnapping and misdemeanor police interference.
Gibson recalled how he begged the man “please, not me.”
In response, Sigvaldsen told him ‘you are going to live; “I’ll let you go at the end of the day,” according to court documents.
Gibson described the kidnapper as “dirty and unattractive” and said he gave off a musty stench.
In an attempt to stop him, he told Sigvaldsen that he had to pay for his things.
When they got to the register, he told her to act like they were a normal couple and put a hand on her back while he paid.
In an interview with Cowboy State Diary, Gibson said he said “help me” to another woman in the store, who alerted Walmart employees. But they didn’t call 911 and simply monitored the situation.
Gibson said she offered the kidnapper money in exchange for his freedom, to which he responded “what?” and he kissed her on the lips, according to the affidavit in the case.
He then walked her to her car and ordered her to take them home.
But thinking quickly, Gibson used his key fob alone to unlock the driver’s side of the car, allowing him to jump out and speed toward the police station.
Surveillance footage from Walmart later obtained by police showed Sigvaldsen attempting to enter through the passenger door.
Although shaken, Janelle continued to HF Bar Ranch to start her new job and investigators said they would keep her informed about the case.
Although shaken, Janelle continued to HF Bar Ranch to start her new job.
It wasn’t until months later that the incident finally became apparent, causing waves of anxiety and panic.
But her new ranch family and her horses, especially her favorite mustang named Duke, have helped her heal.
Sigvaldsen faces up to ten years in prison. Gibson said: “It was a huge relief to finally get this over with and not have to worry about it.”
Upon arriving at the ranch, Gibson was greeted by a rancher who directed her to the office.
“Honestly, I wasn’t excited to see any guys,” she told Cowboy State Daily.
Little did he know that later he would end up falling in love with that same ranch hand.
She told the business what had happened to her in Gilette and explained that the police might show up looking for her.
He said his employer was very understanding of the situation, and as time went on, Gibson built a life on the ranch.
“I always dreamed of coming out West and seeing what that life was like,” he said. “I fell in love with it as soon as I got here.”
It wasn’t until months later that the incident finally became apparent, causing waves of anxiety and panic.
Even now she says she doesn’t go anywhere alone if she can help it and shares her location with friends at all times.
But her new ranch family and her horses, especially her favorite mustang named Duke, have helped her heal.
“I’ve been able to push my feelings away,” he said.
Sigvaldsen He pleaded guilty on March 21 to felony kidnapping and misdemeanor police interference stemming from a subsequent altercation he had with police while intoxicated. He faces up to a decade in prison.
Upon hearing this, Gibson said he finally felt at peace.
“It was a big relief to finally get this over with and not have to worry about it,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “It’s such a process.”
Reflecting on the incident, she wonders if she would have still been Sigvalden’s target if she hadn’t put away her phone, as that was when he focused on her.
He added that he wishes someone had called 911 when he first called for help.
“My advice to other people is that if you see someone who seems to be asking for help, call the police immediately,” he said.
Gibson documents her life as a rancher on her Instagram account, @jgmustangs.
In a comment on Facebook after Gibson went public with his story, his mother Susan said: “This was such a horrible experience for you (and dad and me and the kids).
“I remember when you texted the family group chat saying, ‘Hey guys, little problem, I just got kidnapped.’ Jake wanted the plane to turn around, Dad and I felt helpless not being able to be there with you. ‘
She continued: ‘We’re so proud of you for handling the situation so well and using that intelligence you’ve had your whole life. We miss you a lot too, but we are very happy that you love your new life and live your dream.”
Although ranchers often hold seasonal positions, Gibson has managed to land a full-time position on the guest ranch.
Gibson documents her life as a rancher on her Instagram account. @jgmustangs.