Man Slaughters Relatives at Family Dinner After Parents Told Him to Move Out

A family dinner outside Billings, Montana, ended in unimaginable horror after a 44-year-old man allegedly opened fire on his own relatives, killing eight people across four generations before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The massacre unfolded on Aug. 23, just weeks after the suspected gunman, Alan Smith, had reportedly been asked by his parents to move out of their home.

Brad Ireland, whose former wife and two children were among the victims, identified Smith as the shooter and said Smith later returned to the family home while relatives were gathered for dinner.

Among the dead were Ireland’s former wife, Megan Ghekiere, and their two children, 13-year-old Owen Ireland and 7-year-old Chloe Ireland.

Megan’s stepchildren, 15-year-old Landon Ghekiere and 12-year-old Charlotte Ghekiere, were also killed.

The victims reportedly ranged in age from Chloe, just 7 years old, to a great-grandmother in her 90s who used a wheelchair.

One of the most heartbreaking details emerged after investigators learned that Charlotte managed to call 911 from inside the house as the attack unfolded.

“The one thing we do know is that Charlotte was the hero,” neighbor and family friend Jennifer Mercer said. “Charlotte called 911 and she tried to save her family.”

Police rushed to the home after receiving reports of gunfire.

Officers then heard additional shots coming from behind the house before the residence became engulfed in flames.

By Aug. 25, investigators confirmed that eight family members had died.

Smith also died during the incident from what authorities said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The massive fire nearly destroyed the home and complicated investigators’ efforts to determine exactly what happened inside.

Billings Police Department spokesman Jeff Stovall said the extensive fire damage had made the investigation more difficult.

Fire Chief Matt Hoppel said crews worked to bring the blaze under control until roughly 1 a.m. on Aug. 24.

The house was located in a subdivision outside Billings that reportedly did not have required fire hydrants, creating additional challenges for firefighters.

Authorities initially described the incident as a contained “family disturbance.”

Firefighters also had to wait until law enforcement determined the scene was safe before they could fully attack the blaze, allowing the fire more time to spread through the home.

The family had relocated to Montana from the Seattle area.

Ireland said Megan moved to Montana with their children following their divorce about six years ago. She later married Adam Ghekiere.

Adam was working at the airport in Billings when the shooting happened.

He reportedly heard a radio dispatch about an active shooting, began calling relatives and then raced home.

By the time he arrived, the house was burning.

About two hours later, he learned that his wife and children were dead.

“I don’t think he expected my kids to be there,” Adam said of Smith. “Monster isn’t even enough to describe what he did.”

Smith had reportedly lived with his parents for years before they asked him to leave.

Ireland described him as a “hermit” who spent much of his time alone on a computer.

“There were many red flags and many people spoke out,” Ireland said. “No one listened.”

Smith had attended Eastern Washington University but reportedly struggled to find or maintain steady employment.

Authorities said he had no known criminal record in either Montana or Washington.

Ireland said he had never known Smith to become physically violent before the killings, although he described him as verbally abusive.

Investigators have not publicly announced a definitive motive for the massacre.

The killings have devastated the family and surrounding community, particularly because four of the victims were children and one of them apparently spent her final moments trying to summon help.

According to a mass-killing database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today, the Montana tragedy was the 22nd mass killing reported in the United States in 2026.