Geronimo man bound over for trial for 2023 murder

Probable cause was found Friday for Geronimo man accused of shooting and killing a man following an argument that began with a ride home from a local casino to go to trial.

Following a preliminary hearing, Comanche County Special District Judge Susan Zwaan bound Timothy David Carpenter, 21, over for trial for charges of first-degree murder – deliberate intent and possession of a firearm after former felony convictions.

Carpenter will be arraigned at 9 a.m. Sept. 23 before Judge Jay Walker.

The murder charge is punishable by life in prison or life without parole.

Lawton police began investigating Anthony Montoya’s death the morning of Oct. 6, 2023, after being called to 2235 NW Hoover and finding him dead from a gunshot wound in front of the office building of an apartment complex, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Video surveillance from the apartments was recoveredand showed a silver Ford Explorer pull up shortly after 3:30 a.m. Two people were seen where Montoya was found and investigators said it appeared a fight took place followed by a small flash before the Explorer drove away with a person running eastbound from the scene, the affidavit states.

Witnesses said Montoya had gone to the Apache Casino with them before the incident. Casino video showed Montoya picked up by the Explorer around 2:40 a.m. His friends said he’d left without telling them where he was going, according to the affidavit. They said he’d been speaking to a male before leaving. He called them around 3:30 a.m. asking them to pick him up at the apartments but, they said, when they arrived, they couldn’t find him.

Investigators learned Carpenter was the suspect and that he’d been inside the Explorer before the shooting happened, the affidavit states. It was learned he’d fled to Wichita Falls, Texas.

Another witness told of picking up Carpenter from the apartment complex and of taking him to a convenience store on Interstate 44 in Walters.

A witness who was in the Explorer picking up Montoya said they’d driven to the apartments to pick up Carpenter. An argument regardingout seating inside led to Montoya saying he would walk and call for a ride home. They caught up with him in front of the office and offered to give him a ride but he declined because “he was not going to get into the vehicle with Timothy,” according to the affidavit.

Montoya and Carpenter got into an argument and, according to the witnesses, Carpenter got out of the back seat and fired one gunshot, the affidavit states. They fled the scene, leaving Carpenter behind.

Carpenter has a May 2022 felony conviction in Comanche County for larceny of an auto/aircraft/other motor vehicle, according to Oklahoma Department of Corrections records.

Carpenter remains held on $1 million bond where he’s been since his initial court appearance on Oct. 17, 2023.