On October 16, 2000, the life of Craig Sheldon Petrich, a 43-year-old male who had recently moved to Hamilton, Montana, was tragically cut short. His body was discovered by hikers in the Soft Rock area of the Sapphire Mountains. An investigation determined that he had died from fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the murder of Craig Sheldon Petrich soon focused on a transient man with a history of violence named Ronald James Ward Jr.
It was discovered that Petrich had been in the company of Ward prior to his death. Investigators learned that Ward had borrowed a single-shot rifle, which was later identified as the weapon used to kill Petrich. Following the murder, Ward took the rifle to Billings, Montana, where he pawned it before fleeing the state with his girlfriend.
A warrant for his arrest was issued, and Ronald James Ward Jr. was eventually located and apprehended in California. In June of 2001, Ward pleaded guilty to the murder of Petrich. He was sentenced to a term of 32 years to life in prison. Later, DNA evidence would connect Ward to other murders in both Arkansas and California, revealing him to be a serial killer. Ronald James Ward Jr. died in his prison cell in Montana on April 9, 2014.
