In the fall of 2017, the life of 39-year-old Carlos Bates, a Black male from Montgomery, Alabama, was tragically cut short. On the evening of Sunday, October 15th, Bates was found suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. The incident occurred around 7 p.m. in the 3700 block of Lower Wetumpka Road, where police and fire medics discovered him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Carlos Bates swiftly led to a suspect.
Within days, the Montgomery Police Department announced the arrest of 20-year-old Lamontt Kelly. Kelly was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Following his arrest, he was charged with one count of capital murder in connection with Bates's death, indicating the gravity of the alleged crime.
Authorities stated that the shooting was not a random act of violence. Instead, they believe it stemmed from a previous altercation between Kelly and Bates. This prior dispute is thought to have escalated, leading to the fatal shooting. After being charged, Lamontt Kelly was held in the Montgomery County Detention Facility. He was initially denied bond, a common practice in capital murder cases. In December 2017, a grand jury formally indicted Kelly on the capital murder charge, moving the case towards a trial.
