A 28-year-old Montana deputy was shot and killed answering a disturbance call, and authorities say the suspect fled with a 7-year-old girl before he surrendered.
Story Snapshot
- Lincoln County Deputy Ryan Terpsma, 28, was shot and killed answering a disturbance call in Eureka, Montana.
- A woman, 46-year-old Merrisa Walker, was also found shot and killed at the home.
- A Eureka police officer was shot too, and his injuries are not life-threatening.
- Authorities say suspect Matthew David Dye, 50, of Kalispell, fled with a 7-year-old girl, fired at deputies, then surrendered. The girl was recovered unharmed.
At 8:23 p.m. on Friday, October 30, Lincoln County Deputy Ryan Terpsma answered a disturbance call at a home on Lone Pine Trail in Eureka, a small town in northwest Montana near the Canadian border. A Eureka police officer went with him. Terpsma was shot and killed at the scene, and the Eureka officer was wounded, according to the sheriff’s office. Police have not released a motive or said what the disturbance was about.
Investigators then found that a second person, 46-year-old Merrisa Walker, had been shot and killed at the same home. Authorities have not said how Walker, the suspect and the child are connected. A juvenile girl was also hurt, treated at the scene and released.
Deputy Killed Responding to Disturbance Call in Eureka
Terpsma was new to the badge but not to service. He worked as a detention officer, or jail officer, in Flathead County from December 2024 until May 2026, when he joined the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy. Sheriff Darren Short announced his death. “It has been trying times in Lincoln County during the last year,” Short said, and he asked the community to support each other as they grieve “this fine young man.”
The Eureka officer who was hit is expected to recover. The sheriff’s office said, “We are all deeply affected by the loss of Deputy Terpsma.” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, the state’s top law officer, said Terpsma “answered the call and made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his community.” He added that Terpsma “will not be forgotten.”
Suspect Fled With Child Before Surrendering to Deputies
Authorities identified the suspect as Matthew David Dye, 50, of Kalispell. They say Dye fled the scene in a vehicle toward Kalispell with a 7-year-old girl. Flathead County sheriff’s deputies found him and chased him. During the pursuit, authorities say, Dye fired at deputies, and the deputies fired back. Two Flathead County patrol cars were disabled.
Deputies set up a roadblock. Dye stopped short of it and surrendered, authorities said. Deputies recovered the girl unharmed. Dye was booked into the Flathead County jail. He is accused, not convicted, and authorities say he will be charged and will have a first hearing in Lincoln County Justice Court, a local court that handles early steps in criminal cases.
Second Victim Identified as Investigation Continues
The sheriff’s office identified Merrisa Walker, 46, as the woman killed at the Lone Pine Trail home. Officials have not released details about her ties to the others involved or any history between them. The Montana Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, the state’s team of crime investigators, is leading the case.
Lincoln County officials shared their condolences with the Terpsma and Walker families. For a small border community, one violent Friday night took two lives and left a police officer and a child hurt.
National Context Underscores Dangers Facing Police
Terpsma’s death is part of a hard national picture. The FBI reported that 64 officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty in 2024, meaning killed by someone’s criminal act. More than 85,000 officers were assaulted that same year. The men and women who answer disturbance calls like the one in Eureka know the risk is real, and they go anyway.
A deputy answered a call for help and never came home. Lincoln County and Montana’s Department of Justice carry the job of building the case and seeking justice for Terpsma, for Walker, and for every family touched by that Friday night in Eureka.
Sources:
nbcmontana.com, krem.com, khq.com, flatheadbeacon.com, thewesternnews.com, police1.com, missoulian.com, le.fbi.gov