In the quiet, early morning hours of June 6, 2014, in Marshall, Virginia, a young man's life was tragically cut short in an act of violence that stemmed from a vehicle repossession. Junior Jordan Montero Sanchez, a 23-year-old male, was working his second week on the job for a Chantilly towing company. He had been tasked with repossessing a 2004 GMC Sierra pickup truck from a residence on Conde Road.
The owner of the truck, 53-year-old Carroll Edward “Tootie” Gregg Jr., was awakened
by his vehicle's alarm. Gregg grabbed a rifle and ran outside as Montero was driving away with the truck. What happened next would be a matter of legal debate. Gregg claimed he fell, causing the rifle to discharge accidentally. However, the result was fatal for Montero, who was shot and died in the cab of his tow truck at the scene. A neighbor, hearing the gunshots and seeing the tow truck in a ditch, called 9-1-1.
When law enforcement arrived, they found Gregg, who initially told them it was 'just an accident.' He allegedly admitted to shooting Montero, stating, 'I shot him,' and then reiterated his claim that he had fallen. He also expressed his opinion to the deputies that repossessions shouldn't be allowed in the middle of the night.
Gregg was arrested and initially charged with second-degree murder. However, a special grand jury later indicted him on a more severe charge of first-degree murder. In December 2015, a Fauquier County Circuit Court jury convicted Gregg on two homicide charges. He was ultimately sentenced to 26 years in prison, with six years suspended. The case saw a later development in April 2018 when the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that Gregg's sentences constituted double jeopardy, effectively voiding one of his involuntary manslaughter convictions and reducing his prison time.
