In the summer of 2018, the life of 25-year-old Monterrious Tank Bentley was tragically cut short. An African American male from the small town of Notasulga, Alabama, Bentley was last seen on the evening of July 14, 2018, around 9:30 PM. When he did not return, concern grew, and he was officially reported as a missing person. The search for Monterrious would come to a heartbreaking end four days later.
On the afternoon of July 18, 2018, at approximately 2:30 PM, Bentley's body was discovered abandoned on the side of Macon County Road 55. The circumstances of his death were immediately considered suspicious by law enforcement. An investigation quickly determined that he had been the victim of a homicide, having been shot multiple times. The Alabama State Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist the Notasulga Police Department in piecing together the events that led to Bentley's demise.
The joint investigation led to a swift development in the case. Authorities arrested 20-year-old George Foster III and charged him with murder in connection with Bentley's death. While an arrest was made, investigators believed that Foster may not have acted alone and indicated that they anticipated making more arrests in the ongoing case. During their investigation at the scene where Bentley's body was found, law enforcement officials had a large sedan towed away, though they did not publicly confirm its direct role in the crime. A motive for the killing was not immediately released to the public as the investigation continued.
