In the quiet town of Rifle, Colorado, a tragic story unfolded on a Wednesday evening in late March of 2017, forever altering the lives of a local family. Christopher Lee Gallegos, a 28-year-old male, was fatally shot outside an apartment building in the 2600 block of Acacia Avenue. The Garfield County Coroner's Office would later confirm that the cause of his death was a gunshot wound to the head.
This violent act marked the first homicide in Garfield County for that year.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect who was startlingly close to home. Law enforcement identified Christopher's father-in-law, Michael Francis Montgomery, then 45, as the man responsible for his death. An arrest warrant was issued for Montgomery, charging him with the murder of his son-in-law. Authorities made it clear that they did not believe this was a random act of violence.
Following the incident, Montgomery fled the area, sparking a manhunt that would last for six months. The search for him came to an end in September 2017 when he was apprehended in Oregon. The events leading up to the fatal encounter began to surface during the legal proceedings. It was revealed that Montgomery had gone to the residence where Gallegos was, allegedly looking for another individual over a monetary dispute. An argument ensued, and witnesses reported hearing a gunshot.
In a later court hearing, a judge determined that there was not enough evidence to prove that the act was premeditated and subsequently bound the case over as second-degree murder instead of first-degree murder. The case highlighted a tragic domestic dispute that escalated to a fatal conclusion, leaving a family torn apart and a community in shock.
