GREAT FALLS — Cody Rencurel is facing a charge of deliberate homicide for the murder of Dixie Schroeder in Havre. Schroeder, 35 years old, was found dead in her residence on May 7, 2025.
Court documents state that a woman called 911 at about 2:15 p.m. who was distraught and needed an ambulance as "she didn't know if (Schroeder) was dead or not."
Havre homicide investigation; Kalispell murders-suicide:
The woman said that she cleans house for Schroeder, and when she arrived on May 7, the door was locked. The woman unlocked the door and went inside, and noticed “some things were off” in the apartment and went toward the bathroom.
She saw the bathroom door was partially open and looked into the bathroom and saw who she thought was the person she cleans for, Dixie Schroeder, on the floor, possibly deceased. She then called 911.
A responding police officer found Schroeder on the floor of the bathroom, noting that it appeared she had been deceased for some time, and there was a large amount of blood under her head. Another officer found a spent gun cartridge in an adjacent room.
A coroner was called to the scene and estimated that Schroeder had been dead for at least 36 hours, based on rigor mortis in her limbs when they moved her body.
Court documents state that based on evidence at the scene, her death was determined to be "consistent with an act of homicide."
A witness told police that Schroeder was "in the middle of breaking up with her boyfriend," who she identified as Rencurel; she said that Rencurel had been living in the basement of the residence since he and Schroeder had split up.
Police noted that Rencurel's vehicle was parked near the residence, but Schroeder's vehicle was not.
Investigator also reviewed video footage from a neighbor’s camera of the rear door of the residence. Officers saw Schroeder walk out the back of the residence on May 1, at about 2:25 p.m. There was also a recording on May 2 at about 2:08 p.m. of Rencurel, who appeared to be carrying a laundry basket, walk out that same door.
After talking with acquaintances of Schroeder, they determined that the last time she was seen alive was on May 2, and that was also the last time her vehicle had been seen.
Investigators then learned that Schroeder's bank card had been used approximately 19 times since May 5; the majority of the purchases were in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
On May 8, Kootenai County (Idaho) detectives were conducting surveillance on Schroeder's vehicle in the parking lot of a Coeur d'Alene hotel and saw a man matching the description of Rencurel come out of the hotel.
Rencurel was subsequently arrested and taken into custody.
The Havre Police Department said in a news release that a search of his property uncovered plans that suggested he intended to commit additional violent crimes.
The agency also noted: "To address and dispel misinformation circulating on social media, authorities confirm that the decedent was found completely intact."
Rencurel is scheduled for his initial appearance in Hill County District Court on Monday, May 19, 2025.
Bail has been requested at $1 million dollars.
No other details have been released at this point.
We will update you when we get more information.
