http://www.southofboston.com/articles/2007/08/17/2headlines/news/news/news07.txt

FREE TO KILL: Man accused of killing his children's mother was out on bail; view story to see video

By Maureen Boyle, Enterprise staff writer

BROCKTON— Amaral Montrond, accused of shooting three people near a popular downtown bar last year then fleeing to South Carolina, was considered so dangerous that two judges had ordered him held in lieu of $1 million bail.

But Montrond wound up back on the street months later after one of those judges decided to slash the bail to $50,000 — an amount the 29-year-old father quickly posted.

Now, Montrond is back behind bars, accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend to death at his parents' 24 Montauk Road home early Thursday with a semi-automatic Ruger pistol.

District Court Judge David Turcotte revoked Montrond's bail on the previous case, then ordered him to Bridgewater State Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

Carlita “T.T.” Chaney, 27, the mother of Montrond's two children, was found by police dead on a couch in the basement of the Montrond home, a gunshot wound near her left temple.

And while Montrond's family told police the suspect said the shooting was an accident, the suspect had called Carlita a “snitch” and repeatedly threatened to hurt her, the victim's sister told authorities, according to papers filed in Brockton District Court.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Sprague told the court Chaney turned the suspect in when he fled to South Carolina.

Montrond was arrested last October in Spartanburg, S.C. — where Chaney lives — after eluding police for nearly a month following a downtown shooting in Brockton that forced dozens of people to duck for cover.

In that case, a gunman opened fire on Centre Street on Labor Day weekend in 2006. At the time, about 30 people were walking to their vehicles along the street and in the parking garage about a half-hour after Joe Angelo's Cafe & Deli on Crescent Street closed following an event that drew hundreds.

Investigators Thursday obtained a search warrant for the Montrond home, looking for additional evidence in the case. The gun believed used in the killing was recovered at the scene shortly after police arrived and found Chaney dead.

The state Department of Social Services Thursday was locating Chaney's relatives to place the two children, ages 5 and 8, she had with Montrond with them, said Denise Monteiro, DSS spokesman. Chaney also has a younger child now in South Carolina.

It took more than 15 minutes before police were called to the Montauk Road home after the shooting, according to the time line detailed in court papers and by the prosecutor.

At 1:16 a.m., Montrond's crying brother called their sister, Patricia, asking her to come over “right away because something bad had happened,” according to court papers.

When she got there, she found Chaney on the couch, apparently dead, and called 911. That call was received at 1:37 a.m.

Amaral Montrond's family described him as distraught and that he kept saying “it was an accident,” according to court papers.

Chaney came to Brockton Aug. 8 for a visit and had been staying with the Montronds since Aug. 11. She was set to return to South Carolina on Friday, Chaney's sister told police.

But on Wednesday night Chaney told her sister that “she felt she had overstayed her welcome at Amaral's house” and he “had an attitude with her.”

According to court papers and prosecutors, Montrond's parents Jose and Maria Montrond, woke to a single gunshot about 1:15 a.m. and the couple went downstairs where they found their son standing in the family room.

Mrs. Montrond used a newspaper to pick up the gun, then her husband put it in a nearby CVS bag and they brought it into the kitchen. Jose Montrond told police his son was crying and screaming, repeating the shooting was an accident.

Montrond is a familiar face to Brockton police, with an arrest record that spans at least 10 years and is peppered with charges ranging from assault to murder and motor vehicle charges.

His record of violence — particularly with guns — was one of the reasons Judge Julie Bernard set a $1 million bail last year after the suspect was caught in South Carolina and brought back to Massachusetts to face charges stemming from the downtown shooting in Brockton.

The judge at the time noted that Montrond spent time behind bars for assault and gun offenses and had a history of not showing up for court when he was arrested in the past, according to court records.

That case was later moved to Superior Court after a grand jury indicted Montrond on a string of charges stemming from that attack. A second judge, Jeffrey Locke, also set bail at $1 million at the time — but then reduced the amount in March to $50,000.

Montrond's father later posted the bail and the suspect was freed.

Maureen Boyle can be reached at mboyle@enterprisenews.com.