Arrests Made in Ferndale Homicide

The Lake County Sheriff’s Department have made two arrests in the Dec. 31 Ferndale-area homicide of Clyde Wilson, 24.

According to a statement issued by Sheriff Lucky Larson Monday afternoon, detectives obtained an arrest warrant Jan. 27 for 19-year-old Ronald Lon Petersen of the Bigfork area. Petersen was arrested by local authorities late Sunday evening in Fayetteville, North Carolina, near the Fort Bragg Army Base. He now awaits extradition back to Montana. In connection to Wilson’s death, detectives also arrested Bigfork-area resident Zachary Forkin, 19.

Detectives sought a warrant for Petersen after receiving an anonymous tip, then searched a Ferndale residence to collect evidence and conducted follow-up interviews. Lake County authorities will continue to investigate the homicide.

Don’t worry, we’ll always be free.

But continued community support is what makes our reporting possible. Please consider a one-time or recurring gift to help sustain independent journalism in northwest Montana. Every donation is injected straight into the newsroom.

Thanks so much for backing us over all these years.

I’ll Support Your Work