VALE, Ore. — A Nampa man charged more than four years ago with killing his ex-wife and causing a fatal crash during a police pursuit, has pleaded guilty to three felony charges.
Malheur County District Attorney David Goldthorpe said in a press release that Anthony Montwheeler pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and third-degree assault in court Friday.
He later spoke with KTVB about the case and why it took so long to get here.
"In this case, there were several holdups to having Mr. Montwheeler evaluated at the state hospital and retrieve some treatment there so he would be able to aid and assists in his own defense," he said.
This brings an end to a long and bizarre case that goes back to Jan. 9, 2017. It was on the day prosecutors say that Montwheeler kidnapped his ex-wife, Anita Harmon, and stabbed her to death at an Ontario gas station. Police say he then intentionally hit an oncoming car on Highway 201 with his Dodge pickup after fleeing the gas station.
Vale resident David Bates, 38, died in the head-on crash. His wife Jessica was seriously injured.
Montwheeler had been under mental health care for several years when he was released by the Oregon Psychiatric Security Review Board. He was released less than a month before the January 2017 incident.
An investigation by KTVB's Morgan Boydston in 2017 revealed that Montwheeler put on a decades-long facade, one that records show doctors suspected since the beginning. He admitted to feigning insanity for 20 years at a hearing in front of the Psychiatric Security Review Board on Dec. 7, 2016.
Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Montwheeler will be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years on the murder charge, 20 years in prison on the manslaughter charge, and three years in prison on the assault charge. The sentence on the assault charge is to be served concurrent to all other charges.
"It was a terrible tragic act that occurred in this county, i think that every resident or community members that know anything about it is going to be glad to see it come to a conclusion," Goldthorpe said.
If he is granted parole, Montwheeler will then begin to serve 10 more years for Bates’ death.
Sentencing is set for March 19 in Malheur County Circuit Court.
Watch more crime news:
See the latest Treasure Valley crime news in our YouTube playlist: