Slain girl hailed as hero after 8 relatives killed in Montana home: 'She tried to save her family'
Updated on: August 26, 2026 / 12:54 PM EDT / CBS/AP
TL;DR
- A shooting and fire at a family home in Montana resulted in eight deaths, including four children.
- The suspect, 44-year-old Alan Smith, killed his grandmother, parents, younger sister, and four children.
- Smith died by suicide after the killings, and the house was set on fire.
- A 7-year-old girl, Charlotte Ghekiere, is being hailed as a hero for calling 911 and attempting to save her family.
- The victims represented four generations of the family.
- The shooter's parents had reportedly asked him to move out weeks prior to the incident.
- The investigation is complicated by the destruction of the home by fire.
- Fundraisers have been set up to help cover funeral costs and aid Adam Ghekiere, the husband of one of the victims and father of two of the children.