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Who was Alan Smith? All we know about Montana man who killed 8 relatives, including 4 kids, at Sunday dinner
The incident took place weeks after Alan Smith’s parents, who were also killed, forced him to move out. The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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A man has been accused of killing eight of his relatives, including four children, during Sunday dinner at a home in Billings, Montana. The incident took place just weeks after the suspect’s parents, who were also killed in the shooting, forced him to move out, a family member told The Associated Press.
Brad Ireland, whose former wife and two children were among the dead, identified the shooter as Alan Smith, 44. His parents asked him to move out, but he returned on Sunday and opened fire, Ireland said.
The victims represented four generations of the blended family, ABC7 reported. They ranged from a great-grandmother in her 90s who used a wheelchair to a seven-year-old girl, according to Jennifer Mercer, a neighbor and family friend.
Deep Dive
Alan suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound and later died.
Who was Alan Smith?
Ireland said that Alan was a "hermit" who spent most of his days in his room on his computer.
"No one knew what he did in there 24/7," said Ireland.
"There were many red flags and many people spoke out," added Ireland, who lives in Arizona. "No one listened."
Alan had attended Eastern Washington University but was later unable to find or hold a job. A search of criminal records in Montana and Washington found no record that he was ever arrested or charged with a crime before.
Montana mass murder incident
Police responded to a home on Sunday evening and heard gunshots coming from out back. Shortly after, the house was completely engulfed in flames.
Jeff Stovall, a spokesperson for the Billings Police Department, explained that the probe had been complicated by concerns about the structural integrity of the house after the fire burned it to its foundation. According to Billings Fire Chief Matt Hoppel, firefighters battled the blaze until around 1 am. The subdivision where the home was located was reportedly outside of municipal limits and not required to have fire hydrants.
The blaze tore through the home after efforts to fight the fire were delayed until the site was secure.
Among those who were killed were Ireland's ex-wife, Megan Ghekiere, and their two children, Owen Ireland, 13, and Chloe Ireland, 7. Ghekiere's two stepchildren with her current husband – Landon Ghekiere, 15, and Charlotte Ghekiere, 12 – were also killed.
"The one thing we do know is that Charlotte was the hero," Mercer said. "Charlotte called 911 and she tried to save her family. And that's something the family does want out there."
Mercer said the family was "very loving and close," and that the children got along. She added that their parents remained amicable even after their divorce.
"I feel like our entire community is devastated, even people that never knew any of them," Mercer said.
The Smith family was originally from the Seattle area, and after Ireland and Megan divorced six years ago, she moved to Montana with their children. That's where she met the man who later became her second husband, Adam Ghekiere. At the time of the shooting, Adam was working and was not at the house.
Her parents, Dana and Barb Smith, soon bought a house in Billings near their daughter's home. Evelyn Smith, Dana's elderly mother, lived in a nearby retirement community, according to Ireland.
Alan moved in with his parents in Montana and went on to stay with them for years. However he was asked to move out a couple weeks ago, according to Ireland. He returned to the house unexpectedly on Sunday when the family came together for dinner.
According to Ireland, Alan killed his grandmother, his parents, his younger sister and the four children, and then set the house on fire. He tried to flee before he was confronted by law enforcement. He later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
