Teen charged with Bolingbrook triple murder pleads not guilty in 1st court appearance

A 17-year-old accused of first-degree murder in the weekend slayings of a man, female teen and a girl inside a Bolingbrook home appeared before a Will County judge on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him stemming from the deadly home invasion.

Byrion Montgomery, 17, of Bolingbrook, who was in shackles and wearing a blue jail uniform, barely said much in his first court appearance before Dave Carlson, presiding judge of the felony division at the Will County Courthouse.

When Carlson asked the teen if he understood that he was being charged as an adult in the case, Montgomery said, “Yes.” He furtively waved his hands at least twice at someone in the gallery during Tuesday’s court hearing.

Montgomery, who was detained by police on Sunday night, did not have a private attorney. He was assigned Will County Assistant Public Defender Chris Benson as a result.

Benson told Carlson that his client will enter a plea of not guilty to the charges against him and waive formal reading of those charges. Montgomery also has been charged with attempted murder in the shooting of a woman who was in the home.

Montgomery’s next court date is scheduled March 30, for either a preliminary hearing to determine if there’s probable cause that he committed the charges against him or for a filing of a bill of indictment. A grand jury likely will return an indictment against him.

Police and prosecutors have not released further details on the motive or the events leading up to the Sunday slayings of Cartez Daniels, 40, Samiya Shelton-Tillman, 17, and Sanai Daniels at a residence in the 100 block of Lee Lane in Bolingbrook.

Montgomery has been charged with their murders, as well as the attempted first-degree murder of Tania Stewart.

Bolingbrook police officials have said Montgomery was in a dating relationship with Shelton-Tillman and the incident was considered an alleged domestic-related home invasion.

In response to questions Tuesday, Bolingbrook police said in an email, “No additional is being released at this time.”

After Tuesday’s court hearing, Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Peter Wilkes told reporters that he couldn’t discuss the facts of the case as it was still under investigation. When asked about Montgomery’s alleged motive, Wilkes said the underlying reasons as to what took place is under investigation.

“It’s an ongoing process,” Wilkes said.

Wilkes said the criminal complaint filed Monday contain the initial charges and the “full set of the charges” against Montgomery are expected to be filed by March 30.

Valley View School District 365U Superintendent Rachel Kinder released the following statement the deaths of victims Shelton Tillman and Daniels:

“Two of the victims who lost their lives are Valley View School District students. The VVSD community is shocked and saddened by the loss of two of our students. We have reached out to the families involved to express our condolences and to offer our support as they experience this devastating loss. In addition, we have initiated the District Crisis Response Plan to support our school communities and families that have been greatly impacted by this senseless act of violence,” Kinder said in the statement.”

A candlelight vigil has been planned for the family and friends of the victims at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the grounds of the DuPage Township Center, 241 Canterbury Lane, Bolingbrook.