Body found in Montana River identified as woman missing for months

MISSOULA — Authorities have identified a body found in the Clark Fork River near Missoula earlier this month as that of Eva Prather, who was reported missing several months ago.

Missoula County Sheriff Jeremiah Petersen confirmed that the body recovered from the water on October 13, 2024 was that of 43-year-old Prather. She has been missing since leaving her home on December 31, 2023.

A GoFundMe created shortly after her disappearance said: “Eva is a gentle, loving woman who has brought good to so many others and is experiencing a mental health crisis.”

“Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the family and friends of Eva M. Prather. We recognize that her case has touched many people in our community who have shown extraordinary support and care during her search. This shared compassion has been priceless and it is our hope that: with time, everyone will be able to find peace and closure,” read a statement released Friday by the Missoula Police Department.

GoFundMe states:

We are devastated to hear that after nine and a half months, Eva’s body has been recovered from the Clark Fork River in Missoula. Our hearts broke at this news as we had hoped, however faint, for a different outcome. While the coming months will be difficult, we are confident that this news will ultimately bring closure to our family and those close to Evie.

Click here if you would like to donate.

The social media post shows that a celebration of Ewa’s life will take place at a later date. The family requests privacy at this time.

Prather’s cause and manner of death are under investigation.

(January 21, 2024) The search for Eva Masin Prather, a missing Missoula woman, continues and billboards about the case are posted across the state. Masin Prather was last seen on December 30, 2023.

Electronic billboards are found throughout Billings and typically advertise businesses. But now they are being used for a more important purpose – to help in the search for Masin Prather.

Search for Eva: Billboards were used across the state to aid in the search for a missing Missoula woman

“He has so much love in him,” Katie Neskey, Masin Prather’s friend, said Saturday. “He’s a really sweet person.”

Kind, compassionate and loving are just a few of the ways friends describe Masin Prather.

“You can see it in the way he talks about his children, interacts with his children or talks to his children,” Neskey said. “It’s so interesting to hear about everything she knows and what she’s really passionate about.”

However, the wife and mother of two recently disappeared, prompting friends and family to launch an extensive search.

“Some time has passed and we are still hopeful. We’re still looking,” Neskey said. “We are here, we are looking and we want to find her. She could be anywhere, so I think it’s very important to continue to spread her picture.”

According to the Missoula Police Department, on December 30, Masin Prather left her home without her wallet or keys. It is believed that she was not dressed appropriately for the weather.

“We have no way of knowing what Eva was thinking. Rational thinking is not something that happens in these scenarios,” Neskey said. “I just hope people can be compassionate… Our culture and society is still burdened with stigma and shame around mental health and I’ve seen a lot of ignorance about it. I think there were a lot of questions like why would someone do something like that? Or, “She loves her children so much that I can’t.” believe she would do this.’ And I really always want to try to reduce that stigma around mental health.”

Three weeks later, with the storms having passed, family and friends continue to search, expanding the search throughout the region.

“The search extended so far beyond Montana. The people who said what they said printed up their own flyers going to Idaho and put them up in various places. There is a lot to be said about this” Neskey said: “The number of people who came forward who did not know Eva, who participated in the web searches, who just came to provide meals for the family. There is so much sadness in all of this, but there is another part that I am really proud to be a part of. It restores faith in everything.”

Neskey has known Eva and her husband Dave for over a decade. Now, like hundreds of others, he works tirelessly to find Eva.

“I first met her partner, Dave, in 2011. We worked together for a while and then I met Eva,” Neskey said. “We started exchanging children. We went between houses every week, spending time with our children. Give each other breaks and stuff.”

AND GoFundMe the site has been created to help you meet your financial needs as you continue your search. Neskey said she was amazed at the amount of support they received during the search.

“Dave’s father, Paul, his wife worked in advertising. They’re in Tennessee. She contacted Lamar and just explained to them what was going on and they said, ‘Of course,'” Neskey said.

Lamar is a nationwide billboard advertising company. The Montana team recently provided free advertising space for Eva’s search needs.

Digital billboards featuring Eva were displayed across the state, including in Billings.

“They are all over the state and it’s hopeful to see this and know that all communities are aware of it,” Neskey said. “We are very grateful.”

They hope the billboards will remind community members to be on the lookout for Eva, something the Montana Department of Justice (DOJ) has praised.

“It’s hard to tell if someone is missing by passing them on a street corner,” Bryan Lockerby, administrator of the Montana Department of Justice’s Criminal Investigations Division, said Friday. “So if you can familiarize yourself a little bit with what we’re looking for, that might be helpful.”

The Montana Department of Justice does online database of missing persons that anyone can access at any time.

“The public can easily access our missing persons register and see if they spot anyone missing. The more we can make people aware of this, the more eyes on the ground we will be able to help,” Lockerby said. “There are currently 174 people (missing persons) on the register.”

Eva is a 43-year-old female who is 5’7″ tall and weighs 65 pounds. She has blue eyes and brown hair. If you have any information that could assist this investigation, please call the Missoula Police Department at 406-552 -6300 and reference MPD case reference number 2023-56230.

“Last week the situation was more difficult because due to the weather we couldn’t conduct searches with drones and things like that. So there’s a feeling that there’s a stagnation,” Neskey said. “But remember, remember her, think of her and seek her. Just think positive. Keep praying if that’s what you’re doing. Just show as much compassion for your fellow human beings. You just never know what someone else is going through. And I think that’s a very important element in all of this, or you just never know.

To view a public Facebook page you’ve created for search purposes, click here. To donate to the GoFundMe set up for the search, click here.