Suspect arrested after 2 pregnant teens shot, 1 killed in Buckeye: PD

Family mourns pregnant teen Rylee Montgomery

Rylee Montgomery, 16, and her unborn child were killed. Family members describe her heart of gold.

BUCKEYE, Ariz. - A family is left heartbroken after a 16-year-old pregnant teen was shot and killed in Buckeye. That's where the investigation begins following the arrest of the teenager's boyfriend, who is also accused of shooting two other people. The incident occurred May 14 near 257th Avenue and Elwood Street.

The backstory:

Rylee Montgomery, 16, was known for seeing the good in everyone. Her stepmother, Amy Montgomery, said Rylee had a "heart of gold.. would do anything for anybody at any time." 

While young, her family said she was excited to be a mother and was expecting a baby girl in November. "We're going to have a gender reveal on the 7th of June to tell her," Amy said.

Rylee Montgomery (Amy Montgomery)

However, on Thursday night, their world was turned upside down when Buckeye police say Rylee’s ex-boyfriend and the father of the baby, 18-year-old Michael Sanchez, shot and killed her and their unborn child outside a friend’s house near Miller and Lower Buckeye roads.

The loss is a reality Amy had desperately tried to prevent. "I even told her a month ago to stop talking to him because I was not going to bury her. And now I have to bury her," she said.

Police say Sanchez also shot two other women, identified as a 22-year-old and a 17-year-old who was also pregnant. Rylee’s family says the 17-year-old victim ended up having to deliver her baby at just 25 weeks. "Baby is one pound fighting for his life," Amy said.

Both of those women remain in critical condition. Amy believes Sanchez did not want Rylee to have his baby and did not like her friend, who was among those shot. "He had no reason to do that. All because he didn't want her to have the baby, and he didn't like who she was talking to," she said. "I definitely think he went there with full intention on killing both Abby and Riley."

Michael Sanchez

What they're saying:

Amy says she tried to keep Rylee away from Sanchez long before the violence occurred, alleging that "he has said many times that he was going to kill Riley." The family says they attempted to involve law enforcement before the situation turned fatal.

"We filed a report that he was threatening to kill her a month and a half ago," Amy Montgomery said. Regarding the response to that report, she added, "They didn't do anything."

Reflecting on the suspect's alleged mindset, the family stated that if he could not have her, nobody was going to have her. Amy Montgomery concluded, "And I know she was so scared. She was so scared of him."

Deadly Buckeye triple shooting: Suspect in custody

Police say a suspect is in custody after a triple shooting on Thursday night near Miller and Warner roads left one person dead and two others hurt.

What you can do:

A fundraiser has been set up for Rylee's family at https://gofund.me/845a2e3a3.

Map of the crime scene area: