A man in Arizona has been arrested after fatally shooting his pregnant girlfriend, authorities say. Michael Sanchez, 18, was taken into custody Friday following the death of 16-year-old Rylee Montgomery in Buckeye, just west of Phoenix.
Charges and Arrest
Sanchez faces first-degree murder, endangerment, and interference with a monitor device. He is being held in the Maricopa County Jail without bond. Police tracked him to a home about 15 miles away in Avondale, where he was arrested.
Details of the Shooting
On Thursday night around 8:15 p.m., Montgomery was outside a home with a 22-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl, who was also pregnant. All three were shot. Montgomery died at the scene, while the other two were rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Authorities said two males were seen running from the scene before officers arrived. Police confirmed that the victims and the suspect knew each other.
Background and Abuse
Montgomery’s family described her relationship with Sanchez as abusive. According to a GoFundMe, he controlled her, threatened her, and even urged her to terminate her pregnancy. After she broke up with him, Sanchez reportedly continued to harass her, including sending a photo with a gun pointed at his head and a message saying, “I’m going to get you and then I’m going to take care of myself.”
Sanchez was wearing an ankle monitor at the time due to a prior road rage incident.
Impact on Victims
The other pregnant teen was shot in the back and nearly bled out, forcing her to deliver her baby at just 25 weeks. Montgomery’s family described her as a bright, excited girl looking forward to her future.
“Our sweet Rylee. Our best girl… Michael stole our girl and granddaughter from us. He broke our hearts completely,” the family wrote.
