As investigators continue working through the burned remains of a Montana home where eight members of a family were killed, the story of one victim has emerged as a heartbreaking reminder of what happened inside the house that Sunday evening.
Charlotte Ghekiere was only 12 years old.
According to a family friend, Charlotte was the person who called 911 as the shooting was unfolding, apparently trying to get help for her family.
She did not survive.
Eight members of the family, including four children, were killed in the attack at a home outside Billings on Sunday, August 23. Authorities have identified the suspected shooter as 44-year-old Alan Smith, a relative of the victims. Smith also died after suffering what authorities described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The full circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, but investigators have now begun carefully examining what remains of the home after a fire destroyed much of the structure.
Charlotte tried to get help
The timeline released by authorities shows how quickly the situation unfolded.
Yellowstone County Sheriff Kent O’Donnell said Smith arrived in the neighborhood at approximately 5:49 p.m. Sunday.
Just after 6 p.m., someone inside the home called 911.
At a news conference, Sheriff O’Donnell said he could not confirm which person inside the house made the call. However, Jennifer Mercer, a neighbor and longtime family friend who has been helping the family communicate information about the victims, identified the caller as Charlotte. Mercer said the family wanted people to know about the young girl’s actions.
“The one thing we do know is that Charlotte was the hero,” Mercer said, according to reports. “Charlotte called 911 and she tried to save her family.”
That distinction is important as investigators continue their work. The sheriff has confirmed that a female inside the home made the emergency call, while the identification of Charlotte as the caller has come from the family friend.
Still, the account has become one of the most powerful parts of the tragedy.
Charlotte was among the eight people who died.
Police arrived to a scene already turning into an inferno
Officers responded to the home after the emergency call.
When they arrived, they heard gunfire coming from the back of the property and saw signs of a rapidly developing fire.
Smith reportedly retreated into the house before eventually moving into the backyard. Authorities said he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after encountering law enforcement.
Meanwhile, flames continued to spread through the residence.
Firefighters battled the blaze until approximately 1 a.m. Monday. The house was eventually destroyed down to its foundation, creating additional challenges for investigators trying to determine exactly what happened inside.
Because the structure was heavily damaged, investigators have had to work through the debris while also considering the safety of the site.
On Wednesday, investigators were photographed carefully searching through the remains of the home for evidence that could help reconstruct the shooting and the events that followed.
Eight relatives from four generations were killed
The victims ranged in age from 7 to 92.
They represented four generations of the same blended family.
Among them were Charlotte and her 15-year-old brother, Landon Ghekiere.
Their mother, Megan Ghekiere, 39, was also killed.
Megan’s two children from a previous relationship, Owen Ireland, 13, and Chloe Ireland, 7, were among the victims as well.
The other victims were Dana Smith, 73; his wife, Barbara Smith, 72; and Dana’s mother, Evelyn Smith, 92.
The youngest victim, Chloe, was only 7.
The oldest, Evelyn, was 92 and used a wheelchair. She lived at a nearby retirement community, according to family members.
The gathering had reportedly been a regular Sunday family dinner.
What was supposed to be an ordinary evening together instead became one of Montana’s deadliest family tragedies in recent memory.
The suspect was part of the family
Authorities have identified Alan Smith, 44, as the person responsible for the shooting.
According to relatives, Smith was the son of Dana and Barbara Smith and had been living with his parents for years.
Family members told the Associated Press that his parents had asked him to move out several weeks before the shooting.
Relatives said he unexpectedly returned to the property Sunday evening while the family was gathering for dinner.
Those details have raised questions about what may have happened before Smith arrived at the home and what led to the shooting.
However, authorities have not publicly established a complete motive.
That is one of the major unanswered questions investigators are now facing.
A motive remains unclear
The death of the suspect means investigators may never have an opportunity to question him in court about what happened.
Sheriff O’Donnell said authorities had not previously been called to the home and had no known prior contact with Alan Smith, according to the Associated Press.
That makes the investigation even more difficult.
Police must now rely on physical evidence, witness accounts, the 911 call and other information recovered from the scene to reconstruct the events.
Investigators also need to determine what happened immediately before the shooting, how the victims were attacked and how the fire began.
Because the home was almost completely destroyed, each remaining piece of evidence could become important.
A family is now trying to remember the children
While investigators focus on evidence, relatives and friends are trying to remember the people behind the headlines.
Charlotte has been described by those close to the family as a bright and memorable child.
Her brother Landon, 15, was also remembered for his caring nature. According to a family fundraiser, he had been looking forward to getting his driver’s license and was known for being protective of his younger siblings.
The four children who died — Charlotte, Landon, Owen and Chloe — were part of the same extended family and were together when the attack occurred.
Their deaths have left relatives facing an unimaginable loss across multiple generations.
A memorial has begun forming near the scene as neighbors and community members leave flowers, photographs and other items in remembrance of those killed. Vigils are also being planned.
Investigators are still looking for answers
The investigation is far from finished.
Authorities are continuing to sift through the remains of the home, looking for evidence that may clarify the sequence of events.
The fire destroyed much of the physical scene, and the death of the suspected shooter has left investigators without the possibility of obtaining further answers directly from him.
That leaves several important questions unresolved.
Why did Alan Smith return to the family home?
What happened between his arrival and the shooting?
What exactly happened inside the house before officers arrived?
And what did Charlotte tell the 911 dispatcher before the attack ended?
Investigators may be able to answer some of those questions through the emergency call, witness statements and evidence recovered from the property.
But some answers may never be known.
Charlotte’s final act remains part of the family’s story
For the people grieving the eight victims, the investigation is only one part of what comes next.
They are now preparing funerals, supporting one another and trying to process the loss of an entire group of relatives.
And amid the devastation, Charlotte’s final reported act has become something her family wants remembered.
She was 12 years old when the violence began.
According to family friend Jennifer Mercer, she reached for the phone and called 911 in an effort to get help.
She ultimately became one of the victims.
But her family does not want that moment to disappear beneath the larger story of the massacre.
They want people to remember that Charlotte tried to save the people around her.
That is why Mercer called her a hero.
The investigation will continue to focus on Alan Smith, the destroyed home and the evidence needed to understand exactly what happened that evening.
But for Charlotte’s family, there is another part of the story that they want to make sure is never forgotten.
Before she became one of eight victims, Charlotte was a 12-year-old girl who, according to her family friend, tried to call for help when her family was in danger.
And that act of courage may become one of the few moments of hope remembered from an otherwise devastating night in Montana.