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Sheriff: Body Found in Flathead Lake Likely Homicide Victim

Body of adult man found in Flathead Lake on May 29; sheriff believes it belongs to April 26 homicide victim

By Beacon Staff
Law enforcement officials on April 26, 2017 are investigating the death of a man who went into the Flathead River in Evergreen. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

The body of an adult man was found in Flathead Lake on May 29, and Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said it is believed to be the man who was the victim of a homicide on April 26.

The sheriff’s office recovered the body at 6 p.m. on Monday, after boaters discovered it about 1.5 miles from the mouth of the Flathead River.

Curry believes the body is that of Anthony Walthers, 34, who was the victim of an April 26 homicide. His body was last seen that day in the water downstream of the Old Steel Bridge.

The body has been sent to the Montana State Crime Lab for autopsy and positive identification.

Cecil Thomas Rice has been charged with deliberate homicide after allegedly shoving Walthers to his death. Rice’s reported girlfriend, Heather Joy Meeker, 25, has been charged with felony tampering with evidence.

According to court documents, law enforcement responded to Holt Stage Road shortly after 7 p.m. on April 26 after receiving a report that a man had fallen into the river. A witness said she was fishing nearby when she heard a splash and then saw a man, believed to be Walthers, in the water screaming for help.

Another witness reported seeing Walthers’ head drop below the surface. Witnesses said they saw two males and a female on the bridge when the man fell into the river. All three people left the scene in a maroon minivan.

The female, later identified as Meeker, found a backpack in the van that she believed belonged to Walthers and threw it out the window.

The following morning, one of the men on the bridge told law enforcement that Rice had pushed Walthers off the bridge. Later, detectives spoke with Meeker, who confirmed that Rice had pushed Walthers off the bridge. Meeker said Rice was upset because Walthers had said something inappropriate about her earlier in the day.