A 72-year-old Montana man was sentenced to 60 years in prison for murdering a neighbor over a disputed land inheritance worth millions. James Phillip Lawrence pleaded guilty in April to deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence in the death of Ed Loder.
James Phillip Lawrence received 50 years for the homicide and 10 years for evidence tampering. The sentences will run concurrently. Prosecutors described the killing as premeditated while the defense called it a crime of passion.
The case began after Loder, 67, disappeared from his Polson home on Sept. 4, 2024. Investigators found blood, eyeglasses and shell casings at the scene. Lawrence admitted shooting Loder near Aug. 30, 2024, then dumping the body in Jacko Canyon. He led police to the remains on Sept. 6, 2024.
A will had named Loder the main beneficiary of 80 acres of land. Lawrence and his wife were each set to receive only $5,000. Lawrence told detectives he felt cheated and said, "I'm toast anyways I guess, so, yeah I did it."
Loder's son, Greg Loder, told the court that his father had spent his life helping others in the community. The judge imposed the maximum sentence allowed under the law.