On a spring afternoon in District Heights, Maryland, the life of 18-year-old Deniro Monts was tragically cut short. On May 17, 2020, Monts was on a sidewalk in the 6800 block of Atwood Street when gunfire erupted. He was struck by multiple bullets and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The shooting, which was not a random act, also left three other individuals wounded. In the wake of his death, the community came together for a vigil to honor Monts's life and call for an end to violence.
The event was attended by local leaders, friends, and family, including his mother and two siblings with whom he lived just a few blocks from where he was killed.
The investigation into the shooting continued for over a year until an arrest was made. In November 2021, authorities charged 25-year-old Javon Hines with the murder of Deniro Monts. Hines, who had no fixed address, was also injured during the incident. The investigation revealed that he and Monts were acquainted, and the shooting stemmed from an ongoing dispute. In addition to being charged with first-degree murder for Monts's death, Hines also faced two counts of attempted first-degree murder for the other two surviving victims of the shooting. He was taken into custody and held without bond.
Javon Hines's legal troubles extended beyond the death of Deniro Monts. He was also charged in a separate and horrific crime that occurred in November 2022: the double homicide of a 40-year-old woman and her 4-year-old daughter in a Hagerstown, Maryland hotel. In that case, Hines, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, was found not criminally responsible for his actions. He also faced charges for an attempted murder that took place in Baltimore in October 2022. While the legal proceedings for these other cases have been documented, the specific outcome of the trial for the murder of Deniro Monts has not been publicly reported.
