Murder suspect held on $1 million bond

Investigators said an argument begun with a ride from a local casino led to the Oct. 6 shooting death of Anthony Montoya.

Witnesses said violence followed an argument about seating in a vehicle to give him a ride home.

Timothy David Carpenter, 21, of Geronimo, made his initial appearance Tuesday in Comanche County District Court where he received felony charges of first-degree murder – deliberate intent and possession of a firearm after former felony convictions.

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

Lawton police began investigating Montoya’s death the morning of Oct. 6. Police were called to 2235 NW Hoover shortly before 7:45 a.m. and found him dead from a gunshot wound in front of the office building of an apartment complex, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Detective Carlos Nazario was made aware that a gunshot was heard in that area around 3:45 a.m. Video surveillance from the apartments was recovered.

The video showed a silver Ford Explorer pull up shortly after 3:30 a.m. and two people were seen where Montoya was found. Nazario stated it appeared a fight took place followed by a small flash before the Explorer drove away and a person ran eastbound from the scene, the affidavit states.

Witnesses told investigators Montoya had gone to the Apache Casino with them before the incident. Casino video showed Montoya picked up in 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 when they arrived, they couldn’t find him, Nazario stated.

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 police of picking up Carpenter from the apartment complex and of taking him to a convenience store on Interstate 44 in Walters, Nazario stated. Another witness offered insight into what led up to the shooting.

The witness who was in the Explorer picking up Montoya said they’d driven to the apartments to pick up Carpenter and an argument about 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, Nazario stated. They fled the scene, leaving Carpenter behind.

The witness said Carpenter had “no reason to shoot and kill Anthony,” the affidavit states.

Montoya’s shooting death is the city’s 15th homicide of this year, according to Constitution records.

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.

Held on $1 million bond, Carpenter returns to court at 3 p.m. Jan. 16, 2024, for his preliminary hearing conference, records indicate.