On a Sunday in Helena, Montana, the life of Eugene "Buzz" William Walton, II, a 48-year-old Caucasian male, was cut short. On October 21, 2018, what was initially reported as a tragic hunting accident was later revealed to be a complex and devastating event. Walton, a respected sports medicine physician, had just returned from a hunting trip with another man when the fatal incident unfolded in the parking lot of the former Kmart building.
Police responded to reports of a gunshot in the
area and discovered Dr. Walton with a gunshot wound. He was quickly transported to St. Peters Health, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. In the immediate aftermath, law enforcement officials indicated that the shooting appeared to be accidental. The narrative provided was that the rifle discharged as Walton's hunting partner attempted to retrieve it from the back of a truck.
However, the investigation took a turn, leading to felony charges being filed against 62-year-old Greg Robert Trude. The Lewis and Clark County Prosecutor's Office charged Trude with one count of negligent homicide and another count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. This development cast a new light on the circumstances of Walton's death, shifting the public understanding from a sorrowful accident to an alleged criminal act. Trude was ordered to appear in court in December of that year to face the charges.
