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Police confirmed on Friday that former Hildale Justice Court Judge Walter Steed was the victim of a fatal semi-trailer rig plunge off a 200-foot cliff on State Route 59 near Hurricane Hill.

Steed, 70, had become a truck driver after being removed from his judgeship for practicing polygamy nine years ago. His body was pulled from the wreckage late Thursday morning.

Dee Barlow, a former Hildale resident, told The Tribune that Steed was considered a "community father," and was widely respected throughout the close-knit Utah-Arizona border community.

"He was industrious and hard working. He lived a life of complete dedication and service to his family, his community and his many business and professional associates. He had a big heart and a quality character. Walter was honest and sincere," Barlow said.

Steed, who was traveling out of state to pick up a trailer, left Hildale on the evening of Aug. 22 and had not been heard from since, according to Hurricane police Sgt. Brandon Buell. He was reported missing on Tuesday.

The wreckage — with Steed deceased inside the cab — was spotted by a group of people looking for the semi about 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the area of SR 59 and 500 North, Buell said. He confirmed that it appeared the semi had plunged from the cliff above and had been there for several days.

What caused the white 2000 Kenworth truck to go off the cliff was under investigation. Investigators found tire tracks where the semi left the roadway and traveled along a dirt and brush area before going over the edge.

Steed had served 25 years as a justice court judge prior to his forced resignation from the bench by the Utah Supreme Court in 2006 for engaging in a polygamous relationship with three women.

Tapestry Against Polygamy had filed a complaint against Steed in 2004 with the state Judicial Conduct Commission, which subsequently recommended the Utah Supreme Court remove him from the bench for bringing his office into disrepute.

The Supreme Court agreed with the commission that judges must comply with laws they are expected to uphold and that Steed brought disrepute to the office by violating the state's bigamy statute.

"In the case of a sitting judge, it is of little or no consequence that the judge may believe a criminal statute is constitutionally defective," the court said in a two-page opinion. "A judge ignores the clearly stated criminal prohibitions of the law at his or her peril."

The ruling noted that Steed had made it clear he intended to continue his plural marriage arrangement.

— Tribune reporter Pamela Manson contributed to this story.