In the early morning hours of February 5, 2022, a promising life was cut tragically short in the Aggieville district of Manhattan, Kansas. Joshua J. Wardi, a 21-year-old Black male and a soldier stationed at the nearby Fort Riley, was fatally shot following a dispute. Originally from Manhattan and an alumnus of Taft High School in San Antonio, Texas, Wardi was known for his cheerful spirit and engaging personality.
Having recently returned from service in Afghanistan, he was with a group of friends outside a bar on Moro Street when the fatal encounter occurred.
The night began like many others in the popular nightlife area, but it took a dark turn around 12:30 a.m. Wardi and another Fort Riley soldier, 19-year-old Tremelle Robert Montgomery, became engaged in a verbal altercation. The argument escalated, culminating in Montgomery pulling out a handgun and shooting Wardi. Officers from the Riley County Police Department, stationed nearby, heard the gunshots and responded immediately, finding Wardi on the sidewalk with critical injuries. Despite their efforts to render first aid, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.
As officers attended to Wardi, they spotted the armed suspect, Montgomery, fleeing the area. A foot chase ensued, and as Montgomery ran, an officer fired two rounds, striking him in the leg and bringing the pursuit to an end. Montgomery was taken into custody, and his handgun was secured. He was initially transported to a local hospital before being transferred to a facility in Topeka for treatment of his injuries. Upon his release from the hospital on February 9, he was booked into the Riley County Jail.
The investigation led to significant legal consequences for the accused. Tremelle Robert Montgomery was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Joshua Wardi's death, as well as three counts of attempted first-degree murder for other individuals who were present at the scene. He was held on a $1.5 million bond. In a later development, in January 2023, law enforcement arrested a second suspect, 24-year-old Jordan Prather of Junction City, on a warrant for first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault for his involvement in the incident. Ultimately, the trial for Tremelle Montgomery concluded with a jury finding him guilty of capital murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault, bringing a measure of justice to the family and friends who mourned the loss of a young man remembered as a peacemaker and a kind soul.
