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Body of missing woman who vanished while horse riding recovered

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Body of missing woman who vanished while horse riding recovered


Authorities have located the body of a woman who mysteriously went missing in Montana while horseback riding last week.

Meghan Rouns, 27, disappeared after setting off with her horse along the McMaster Hills trail, about 15 miles from Downtown Helena, on Friday afternoon.

Search teams located the woman’s hat, phone and horse, which looked like it had been in the Missouri River, but did not immediately find her remains. The horse did not like being in the water and Rouns could not swim.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo C Dutton told The Independent he believed a powerful gust of wind knocked the woman off her horse as she trotted along the river, forcing her into the water.

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Divers pulled the woman’s body out of the river on Tuesday.

“It is with great sadness we report that Meghan was located by our search and rescue divers around 3:40 p.m.,” a statement released by the sheriff’s office read. “She is deceased.”

A search and rescue volunteer setting up a sonar machine. The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office found the body of Meghan Rouns, who disappeared while riding her horse on Friday near Helena, Montana
A search and rescue volunteer setting up a sonar machine. The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office found the body of Meghan Rouns, who disappeared while riding her horse on Friday near Helena, Montana (Provided by Jake Martenis)

Rouns’s body was found in 11 feet of water, about 100 feet from shore. Officials will take her body to a crime lab in Missoula to determine her cause and manner of death. Foul play is not suspected at this time, Dutton said.

Rouns did not suffer from any medical conditions that would’ve prompted an emergency, and deputies do not suspect she died by suicide.

“To Meghan’s family, we extend our condolences and deepest sympathy,” the statement continued.

Rouns, an experienced equestrian, was meant to return from her ride around 6 p.m. Friday. When she did not, her father reported her missing two hours later. A search began at 9 p.m. the same day that lasted until 4 a.m. Saturday. Upon locating her horse, officials discovered a GPS tracker confirming it had been in the river.

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As a result, search teams focused much of their efforts on combing through the water to try and find the 27-year-old.

Hikers scoured the area for clues, while helicopters, drones and cadaver dogs were deployed to try and find her.

“It’s something that is extraordinary that happened to her that caused us to be in this search for her,” Dutton said.



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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for May 13, 2026

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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 13, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 13 drawing

22-31-52-56-67, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from May 13 drawing

17-18-28-37-42, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 13 drawing

02-06-10-16, Bonus: 16

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 13 drawing

08-13-39-63-66, Powerball: 02

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Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from May 13 drawing

02-04-13-17-32

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 13 drawing

21-24-29-42-49, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
  • Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin

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Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin


Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart announced that on May 5, 2026, the State of Montana placed a call under Article V(A) of the Yellowstone River Compact to fill Tongue River Reservoir in Montana. As a result, priority administration is in effect on post-1950 water rights in Wyoming that divert water from the Tongue River and its tributaries and are not excluded from the compact.

A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, in the dining room of The Hub on Smith. Attendees are asked to enter on the north side of the building.

The Tongue River Basin has been experiencing drought conditions over the past year with historically low winter snowpack and streamflow conditions. According to the release, those conditions led to Montana’s interstate call and prompted the administration of the Tongue River Basin in Wyoming.

The priority administration will affect post-1950 water rights within the Tongue River Basin, including reservoir storage, stream diversions and groundwater withdrawals, all of which affect river flows. Post-1950 water rights will be regulated off or prevented from turning on. Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners will continue to administer reservoir storage and post-1950 diversions throughout the spring and work with affected water users until the administration is lifted.

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As provided in the compact, domestic uses less than one-half acre in area and livestock uses, including stock reservoirs less than 20 acre-feet in capacity, are excluded from this administration. The release noted these excluded rights could be subject to future regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.

Beginning May 5, 2026, Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners have worked to record the current storage levels of reservoirs with post-1950 water rights. Going forward, those reservoirs can continue to accrue storage so long as post-1950 storage gained after the interstate call on May 5 remains in storage until either the water is released to satisfy the Montana call or Montana lifts the call because Tongue River Reservoir will fill.

Reservoirs with unfulfilled pre-1950 water rights can continue to store water and that storage will not be subject to release to satisfy Montana’s call. However, that storage and other direct flow rights could be subject to regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.

The priority administration will be carried out pursuant to state law by hydrographer-commissioners assigned to various portions of the Tongue River Basin, working under the direction of Division II Superintendent David Schroeder.

The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office can be contacted at:

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Jack Morey, deputy state engineer, 307-777-5032, jack.morey2@wyo.gov

David Schroeder, Division II superintendent, 307-674-7012, d.schroeder@wyo.gov

Jeff Cowley, interstate streams administrator, 307-777-1942, jeff.cowley@wyo.gov




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Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for May 12, 2026

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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 12, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 12 drawing

17-32-35-40-47, Mega Ball: 17

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 12 drawing

04-12-17-24, Bonus: 11

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 12 drawing

19-21-35-38-53, Bonus: 01

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
  • Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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