A celebratory evening took a tragic turn for 14-year-old April Montano and her family. After a day spent riding all-terrain vehicles at Keystone Lake to celebrate April's middle school graduation, the family was heading home on the Gilcrease Expressway in Tulsa County. It was then that their truck, which was hauling a trailer with the four-wheelers, was targeted in what police believe was an attempted robbery.
Around 9:30 p.m., April's father heard three gunshots and immediately pulled
over. In the terrifying moments that followed, he discovered that his daughter had been struck by the gunfire. April was rushed to a nearby hospital, but tragically, she succumbed to her injuries and died at approximately 3 a.m. the next morning. The motive for the shooting appeared to be the theft of the family's truck and the ATVs.
The investigation into April's senseless death led to the swift arrests of two suspects. Nineteen-year-old David Ruble II and 21-year-old Demonte Rushing were taken into custody separately on a Saturday night. Police identified Ruble as the suspected shooter. Shortly after the incident, officers had stopped a black Dodge Charger that matched the description of a vehicle seen leaving the scene, with Ruble believed to have been the driver. Initially, there was not enough evidence for an arrest. However, as the investigation progressed and with witness cooperation, authorities were able to arrest Ruble for murder. Rushing was also sought in connection with the case and turned himself in to the authorities. A. 40-caliber handgun, believed to be the weapon used in the shooting, was recovered along the route the suspect's vehicle had taken, and the shell casings from the scene were a match.
