Kalispell Man Accused of Killing Eureka Woman and Lincoln County Deputy Dies in Custody

The 50-year-old Kalispell man accused of killing a Eureka woman and a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputy, shooting dozens of rounds at law enforcement and leading authorities on a vehicle pursuit on Oct. 30 has died while in custody at the Missoula County Detention Center.

Mathew David Dye on Nov. 4 was pronounced dead at Providence St. Patrick Hospital, according to a Missoula County Sheriff’s Office press release.

Missoula County Detention Center officers Wednesday night responded to Dye’s cell after observing he appeared to be having a medical emergency. Detention medical staff responded and requested an ambulance.

Dye became unresponsive during transport. Unsuccessful lifesaving measures were performed, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Following standard protocol, the Missoula Police Department is conducting the investigation into Dye’s in-custody death. All documentation and surveillance footage have been provided to police.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is conducting coroner duties.

Dye was transported to the Missoula County Detention Center after his Nov. 2 initial appearance in Lincoln County Justice Court. He was charged with two felony counts of deliberate homicide and a third felony count of attempted deliberate homicide.

According to charging documents, Dye was accused of fatally shooting Merrisa Walker, 46, and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Terpsma, 28, and wounding Eureka Police Officer David Steed in Eureka. After the shootings, he led law enforcement on a southbound pursuit with his 7-year-old daughter in the vehicle while shooting at law enforcement.

According to a complaint filed by Lincoln County Attorney Marcia Boris, dispatch at about 8:23 p.m. on Oct. 30 received a call from a woman identified as Merrisa Walker, who reported a “physical fight” at a Eureka residence.

Shortly after law enforcement’s arrival, Dye shot Officer Steed, who was wearing body armor, twice in the back, and shot Deputy Ryan Terpsma. Within a span of 10 minutes, Steed reported 50 shots had been fired and there was an individual, who was later identified as Dye, with a semiautomatic weapon.

Fifteen minutes after Deputy Terpsma and Officer Steed’s arrival, Dye left in a pickup truck. Terpsma was pronounced dead at the scene.

At about 8:59 p.m., another Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived on scene to find Deputy Terpsma and Officer Steed, who both suffered from suspected gunshot wounds.

Authorities also located a deceased woman with fatal head trauma in the driver’s seat of a vehicle who was later identified as Walker.

Walker’s young daughter was also in the vehicle with her mother at the time of the incident and later reported she escaped and hid in a wooded area next to the scene. During an interview, she told a detective she was hiding in the woods and the armed suspect was “hunting her.” She told authorities when she and her mother arrived at the location, where her grandfather was living in a camper, Dye was standing in front of the house shooting at them. Soon after their arrival, Walker crashed her pickup truck into the camper.

Walker’s daughter then ran from the vehicle and called 911, according to her account. She said she heard Dye yelling that he wasn’t going to hurt her but while she hid behind one of the law enforcement vehicles, she could see Dye’s feet and heard him shoot toward her, causing her to sustain shrapnel injuries, according to documents.

Walker’s daughter said she heard Dye fire two more rounds a few minutes later and he started driving his pickup truck, which was later identified as a black Nissan Frontier, and shot rounds in her direction. He then drove in circles around her before heading down the hill and turning onto a road, she said.

During an interview with Walker’s father, he told detectives that prior to the shooting, Dye arrived at the property at about 6:15 p.m. with his 7-year-old daughter. He said that Dye left and returned to the location about 15 minutes later when a physical altercation began. After refusing Dye’s demands to retreat to his camper, Dye punched him in the face and struck him with a broom, records state.

After the fight, Walker’s father retrieved a Glock 26 pistol from his car and returned to his camper.

Once he was inside the camper he called his daughter to report that Dye had assaulted him. About 15 minutes later, he saw a vehicle approaching and saw Dye get up from the front porch of the residence and start shooting at Walker’s vehicle.

Walker’s father then exited his camper and began shooting his firearm at Dye until he ran out of ammunition, at which point he returned to his camper to retrieve another firearm. A vehicle then struck the camper, knocking him unconscious. When he awoke, he heard gunfire, a pause, and more gunfire.

At 8:55 p.m., Flathead County authorities were advised the suspect vehicle was believed to be heading south on U.S. Highway 93 and that Dye’s daughter was inside. A pursuit began on Star Meadows Road/Farm to Market Road, which involved a gunfire exchange between Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies and the suspect.

Authorities said the driver, later confirmed as Dye, fired an “unknown number” of rounds at three pursuing law enforcement vehicles, striking all three and disabling at least one. Dye also slowed multiple times, attempting to allow law enforcement vehicles closer before shooting at their vehicles, records state.

Dye failed to stop for emergency lights and sirens and drove more than 90 mph at times during the pursuit on rural, residential and mountainous roads. A detective said a rifle may have been thrown from Dye’s vehicle, but no weapon has been recovered.

The suspect was apprehended at 10:06 p.m. and Dye’s daughter was safely released to her mother. During a vehicle sweep, several rifles, firearms and possible alcoholic containers were plain view.

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