18-year-old charged with capital murder in Montgomery triple homicide at Hispanic grocery store

A teen is in custody on capital murder charges in the June slayings of three men at a Hispanic grocery store in Montgomery.

Jarques Butler, 18, of Montgomery, Alabama, is charged with capital murder in the June 4 shootings deaths of George Elijah, Jr., 50, Daniel Lopez, 20, and Romero Lopez, 43, all of Montgomery.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Montgomery police special operations officers tried to make contact with Butler in the area of East Fifth Street, said Maj. Saba Coleman. Butler ran away.

After an extensive search, which included the use ALEA’s aviation unit, Butler was taken into custody without further incident.

He is being held without bond in the Montgomery County Detention Facility.

Police and fire medics responded to the Tienda Los Hermanos grocery store in the 4100 block of Troy Highway around 8:55 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, on a call of people shot.

Officers found the three shot at the store. The Lopezes were father and son.

Elijah and Daniel Lopez were pronounced dead at the scene.

Romero Lopez was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Mayor Steven Reed and former Acting Police Chief John Hall held a press conference the following day addressing the horrific crime.

“Last night was a terrible situation. It was tragic, it was something that cannot be excused, nor should it be,” Reed said. “People working their jobs in their community … should not be preyed upon, should not be targeted. And that’s what we had last night.”

A reward of $40,000 – including $10,000 from Mayor Steven Reed – has been offered in the case.

It was not immediately clear if more arrests are expected.