Montez Lamonte Hairston, 29, was shot and killed on the evening of October 3, 2024, in the 3400 block of Melrose Avenue NW in Roanoke, Virginia. He was remembered as a devoted father who enjoyed helping others and was educated in Salem Public Schools. The shooting prompted a police investigation and grief among family and friends.

On October 7, 2024, a Roanoke City Grand Jury returned indictments against 23-year-old Mark Lamont Gray Jr., charging him with one count of first-degree murder and one count of using a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with Hairston’s death. The case is now pending in the local judicial system.

If anyone knew Montez Hairston or has information about the shooting, please share what you know.