Uncategorized

DEADLY DECISIONS: Family of Montwheeler’s ex-wife responds

Police say Anthony W. Montwheeler was driving this pickup when it collided outside Ontario with another vehicle on Jan. 9, 2017, killing the other driver and injuring a passenger. Police found in the pickup the body of Annita Harmon, Montwheeler’s ex-wife. (Adam Worthington/KTVB)

The Enterprise

The family of Annita Harmon, who was stabbed to death in the Montwheeler incident, responded Wednesday in a written statement to the Malheur Enterprise’s report on Anthony W. Montwheeler. The family previously had declined to comment. Harmon, who divorced Montwheeler 18 months ago, was kidnapped and stabbed to death on Jan. 9, 2017. The family through Harmon’s sister Stacey Harmon-Roeber, cites elements of the Enterprise story and responds:

“Jim Hildebrand, the cousin who grew up with Montwheeler, said that after leaving the state hospital, Montwheeler moved in with his brother in Emmett, Idaho. He told his cousin that his ex-wife had

opened credit cards using his name and ran up big debts.”
Mr. Montwheeler was released not even three weeks before kidnapping and murdering Annita. Mr. Montwheeler has proven himself to be a con, a liar, a thief and a violent man.  Annita had walked away from him
and did not open credit cards and use them for self gain.  She lived with her parents, she drove a vehicle that operated on a whisper and a prayer, she lived from pay-check to pay-check and with the help of her family.

Annita had NO criminal history before or after her marriage to Mr. Montwheeler.  The reason her conviction was vacated was because information came to light that proved she had no knowledge of the fraud Mr. Montwheeler perpetuated on his clients.  She was partner in
name only, he used her name and credit to fund the business and equipment.

Annita only received monies from their business if she went out and worked scrapping in the field.  This was in addition to also working a full time job at Walmart.  Annita was mentally
manipulated and abused by Mr. Montwheeler.
“Montwheeler gathered up records he thought showed fraud and went to police to press for prosecution. He posted a photo of himself outside the sheriff’s office after filing the report.
“It’s done,” he wrote.
“Whether police investigated couldn’t be immediately established.”

This is something that needs to be verified as a truth.  The last week of her life Annita was in fear of him and angered by his stalking behavior, including getting hired on where she worked and his aggressive actions at that place of work Dickenson Foods.  Mr. Montwheeler was doing everything he could to push her buttons, including making false accusations about her on social media.  Annita was never contacted by authorities with regard to the above information. Our family counseled Annita to keep to herself and file for a restraining order, which she was in the process of.  Her long work hours, her family obligations with her daughter and the crazy
weather/road conditions put some things in slow motion.  Although a restraining order would have done nothing in the end.

“Montwheeler told another relative that he had dined with his ex-wife and she asked that he drop the charges. The relative said the dinner was a week before the murder and Montwheeler described in the days after growing upset with his ex-wife’s text messages.”

Not true, Annita was working evenings the weeks before her murder. The week before was our father’s birthday and we arrived in town for a week plus visit.  Annita was with us or at work during that time.
Again, Mr. Montwheeler lied.

“He’s stable until he’s pushed to a certain point,” the relative said.”

Clearly, he is not stable, has never been, his own words prove it true, his own actions prove it true.  EVEN if Annita had done what his cousin said Mr. Montwheeler accused her of, that is NO provocation for murder.  To even suggest that Annita is responsible in some small way for Mr. Montwheeler’s terrorizing and murderous actions is beyond ridiculous!

Additional stories:

Montwheeler fakes mental illness to avoid prison

State agency plans to sue newspaper to keep records secret