In the early morning hours of December 16, 2004, a vibrant night in Jersey City, New Jersey, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 31-year-old Robert Tito Montanez, a male music promoter and road manager for the singer Akon. The evening was set against the backdrop of a promotional video shoot for the rapper Capone, of the duo Capone-N-Noreaga, at the Ringside Bar.
As the night wound down, a dispute ignited in the parking lot, forever altering the lives of those present.
Montanez, known affectionately as 'Screw,' was standing with Capone and others when a man attempted to snatch a piece of jewelry from the rapper. In a selfless act of loyalty and protection, Montanez intervened, stepping between Capone and the assailant. A struggle ensued, and in the chaos, the quiet of the night was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Montanez was shot twice in the chest. His brother, Louis, who was present at the scene, witnessed the horrific event as his brother fell to the ground. Another man, Shea Harvey, was also shot in the leg as he tried to flee the scene but survived his injuries.
Emergency services were called as a large crowd gathered in the parking lot. Paramedics worked tirelessly to save Montanez, reviving him multiple times on the way to the Jersey City Medical Center. Despite their efforts and emergency surgery, his injuries proved to be too severe. After his heart stopped twice more in intensive care, Robert Tito Montanez was pronounced dead shortly after 6 a.m. His death sent ripples of grief through the hip-hop community, with artists like Fat Joe and Noreaga rushing to the hospital to be by his side. Montanez, a father of three and the CEO of Block Records, was remembered for his dedication to his work and his fierce loyalty to his friends.
For nearly six years, the case remained a painful open wound for Montanez's family and friends. Investigators had a suspect in mind early on, but it wasn't until November 2010 that a breakthrough came. Witnesses who were present at the Ringside Bar that fateful night came forward and positively identified Almalik Ward, a man from Newark, New Jersey, as the shooter. Ward, who was 34 at the time of his arrest, was taken into custody and charged with Montanez's murder, robbery, and weapons offenses. His bail was set at $1 million, bringing a sense of long-awaited justice to the family of the man who had laid down his life for a friend.
