Ex-Boyfriend Arrested in Nicole Waller's Disappearance

Authorities in Montana say they have arrested a suspect in the disappearance of 31-year-old Nicole Waller, missing since her car was found abandoned near the remote northeastern town of Poplar on Valentine’s Day 2013.

Agents of the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation arrested Cody Wayne Johnston of Fairview, Montana on Monday. He’s charged with deliberate homicide and tampering with physical evidence.

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Nicole Waller’s body has never been found.

Johnston had been Waller’s on-again, off-again boyfriend for more than a year at the time of her disappearance. Charging documents obtained by Dateline NBC alleged that Waller had driven more than 500 miles from her home in western Montana in February 2013 to confront Johnston about his seeing another woman. Johnston told investigators that he last saw Nicole on the evening of February 13th. But authorities say cell phone records and surveillance video conflict with Johnston’s story. Agents say they have found a witness who admitted helping Johnston abandon Waller’s car on February 14th in Poplar, more than 70 miles from Johnston’s home where police say cell phone records show Waller placed her last call. Authorities say Johnston had also asked several people for a barrel.

Waller’s estranged husband and three children have not heard from her since Valentine’s Day 2013.

In interviews with investigators, Johnston has denied having any knowledge of Waller’s whereabouts. He’ll make his first court appearance on September 9th.

Johnston is being held in the Richland County Jail on $250,000 bond.

He’ll make his first court appearance on September 9th.

Waller was featured in Dateline NBC's series 'Missing in America' in February 2014.

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