Justin John Montpeirous, a 21-year-old Hispanic/Latino male from Muhlenberg Township near Reading, Pennsylvania, died on May 7, 2017, after a shooting that also left his brother, Jeremy Jason Montpeirous, critically wounded. Justin had been born in New York City on March 16, 1996, and was remembered by his family as the oldest child of Babana Castillo and John Montpeirous. He was a 2015 graduate of Muhlenberg High School, described in memorial accounts as someone with a happy disposition, a joking personality, and a habit of helping others. His family remembered him as a handyman who liked spending time with relatives and friends.
The shooting unfolded in Muhlenberg Township on a Sunday, when authorities said 26-year-old Mario Morancy, of Temple, Pennsylvania, opened fire on Justin and his brother Jeremy. Police said Justin was killed, while Jeremy was taken to Reading Hospital in critical condition after surgery.
The violence was later described by investigators as connected to an earlier assault involving Morancy. According to police accounts, Morancy told detectives that he had been extremely humiliated after video of that prior assault was posted on social media.
After the shooting, Morancy did not remain at large for long. Authorities said he later called police and surrendered. Investigators alleged that he admitted firing at the brothers while in what he described as a fit of rage. Early charges filed against Morancy included first-degree murder, third-degree murder, and aggravated assault in connection with Justin’s killing and Jeremy’s wounding.
The case moved forward as a criminal prosecution in Berks County. Public reports linked the case to later sentencing coverage indicating that Morancy was punished for killing Justin and wounding his brother. Online memorial and gun-violence tracking sources also identify Justin’s death as a fatal shooting in Reading, Pennsylvania, on May 7, 2017, and list news coverage of Morancy’s sentencing for killing one brother and injuring the other. Justin was laid to rest after funeral services in Reading, leaving behind his parents, his brother Jeremy, extended family, and the friends and relatives who remembered him as helpful, lighthearted, and close to those he loved.
