MISSOULA — The man charged with deliberate homicide in the shooting death of 67-year-old Ed Loder in September of 2024 was sentenced today to 50 years for deliberate homicide and 10 years for tampering with evidence in the death of the Ronan man. The sentences will be served concurrently, handed down by Lake County District Judge Molly Owen.
James Phillip Lawrence was charged after Loder's body was found in the Twin Lakes/Jocko Canyon area outside of St. Ignatius on Sept. 6, 2024.
An extensive investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies led investigators to believe that Loder had been killed.
Prosecutors state in court documents that a blood trail, at least five bullet casings, and bloody eyeglasses were found along a section of Timberlane Road.
Lake County Sheriff Don Bell previously stated that Lawrence had cooperated with the investigation, which led to Loder's body being found.
According to court documents, Lawrence waived his Miranda rights and told investigators, "I'm toast anyways I guess, so, yeah I did it."
Investigators learned of a possible financial motive in the case involving a land dispute stemming from an inheritance of property that is estimated to be worth millions of dollars, court documents show.
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