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Kalispell Man Sentenced to 70 Years in Prison for Flathead River Murder

Cecil Thomas Rice sentenced nearly two months after being convicted of deliberate homicide

By Justin Franz
Cecil Thomas Rice appears in Flathead County District Court on June 1, 2017. Greg Lindstrom | Flathead Beacon

Cecil Thomas Rice was sentenced to 70 years in the Montana State Prison almost two months after a jury convicted him of murder.

The Kalispell man appeared in Flathead County District Court before Judge Dan Wilson on Jan. 25. The sentencing came nine months after Rice shoved 34-year-old Anthony Walthers off a bridge into the Flathead River after the victim had allegedly made a suggestive comment about his wife, Heather Meeker.

Judge Wilson called the April 26, 2017 murder a “particularly horrific death” considering the extreme temperatures of the Flathead River east of Kalispell at that time of year.

“Mr. Rice murdered Anthony to maintain some childish sense of pride,” Judge Wilson said moments before handing down his sentence.

Rice was given credit for 274 days already served in jail. Wilson gave Rice 10 more years than what Deputy County Attorney John Donovan recommended. Rice’s attorney, Steven Scott, did not make a sentencing recommendation because his client maintains his innocence.

Walthers’ mother, Eva Martel, said she was pleased with the sentence Wilson handed down.

“I’m just happy he got 70 years in prison,” she said leaving the court.

According to court records and testimony, Rice, Walthers, Meeker and Cody Robinson were all homeless at the time of the death. On April 26, the four people were at a Kalispell church for dinner. During the course of the meal, Walthers allegedly made sexually suggestive comments about Meeker. Rice, who had been with Meeker for a decade and was the father of her three children, threatened Walthers.

“If you say that one more time, I’m going to throw you off a [expletive] bridge,” Rice allegedly told Walthers.

After dinner, the four people drove to the Old Steel Bridge to smoke marijuana. Robinson testified that on the ride over, Rice continued to suggest he was going to push Walthers off the bridge if he kept talking about his wife. However, Robinson said he thought Rice was joking.

“It seemed like everyone was in a really good mood, laughing and having a good time,” Robinson said during the first day of trial in December.

When the four people arrived at a fishing access near the bridge, Rice and Robinson immediately started walking toward it while Walthers and Meeker lagged behind. Meeker testified that Walthers expressed concern that Rice would hurt him. Meeker reassured him that he was safe. The four people were walking on the bridge when Walthers allegedly made another comment about Meeker.

According to Meeker, Rice put his arm around Walthers and reassured him he was not going to hurt him as he guided him to the north side of the bridge, which had a short guardrail. Meeker and Robinson both testified that they heard a scuffle and then a splash. When they turned to look at what happened, Walthers was gone and Rice was walking back to his car with his hood up.

Rice, Meeker and Robinson immediately fled the scene of the crime. As they drove away, Rice saw a bag in the car that he thought belonged to Walthers and ordered Meeker to throw it out the window. According to Meeker and Robinson, the three made the pact in the car that if anyone asked about Walthers they would say he fell into the river.

The following day, Robinson went to police and told them Rice had pushed Walthers off of the bridge. Rice and Meeker were arrested on April 27. Rice was charged with deliberate homicide and Meeker was charged with tampering with evidence. Meeker pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor bail jumping earlier this month and was sentenced to six months in the county jail with credit for 213 days served.

During Rice’s two-day trial in December, Scott argued that Walthers death was an accident and that while it looked like Rice had shoved the man he was actually trying to prevent him from falling.

“This was an accident, nothing more and nothing less,” Scott said during closing arguments. “It is a tragedy that Anthony died but it was an accident. It was not murder.”

Donovan countered that if it was an accident Rice would have never fled the scene.

“This wasn’t a tragedy, this was Cecil Rice following thru on a threat he had previously made,” Donovan said. “What did Cecil do after telling Anthony that he was going to throw him off a bridge?”

“He drove him to a bridge.”

The jury deliberated for 90 minutes before delivery and unanimous verdict of guilty.