Anthony Montwheeler pled guilty in Malheur County Circuit Court to three charges related to the January 9, 2017 killing of his ex-wife Anita Harmon and Vale resident David Bates. Montwheeler entered his pleas of guilty to Murder in the Second Degree, Manslaughter in the First Degree and Assault in the Third Degree according to a news release.
His sentencing date is scheduled for March 19, 2021.
The case started in 2017 with a fatal head-on collision that police say started with Harmon being kidnapped and stabbed at the JnJ Corner Store on W. Idaho Avenue in Ontario. Harmon was found deceased in Montwheeler's truck after he reportedly fled from police and drove into oncoming traffic on Highway 201.
Montwheeler hit a vehicle with two people inside head-on. David Bates, 38, was declared dead at the scene.
Related: Victims identified in Ontario stabbing, kidnapping, two-car fatal crash
The sentence as agreed by the parties is expected to be as follows: Life in prison with the possibility of parole on the Murder in the Second Degree charge, 20 years in prison on the Manslaughter in the Second Degree charge, and 3 years in prison on the Assault in the Third Degree charge. The sentence on the Assault charge is to be concurrent to all other charges.
Ten years of the sentence on the Manslaughter charge is to be consecutive to the life sentence on the Murder charge. The defendant’s first opportunity for parole will be after serving the first 25 years of the life sentence. If and when he is granted parole in the future on the Murder charge, the consecutive 10 years of prison time will be required to be served, according to the release.
