PHOENIX — A senseless act ended a life that had much more to give.
At 38 years old, Stella Montes was a mother of three, a grandmother to be and a fiancée.
Less than one month after moving into her new Peoria home with her family, she was shot and killed in an apparent road rage incident.
“This year was going to be our year,” said Montes’ fiancé who asked 12 News not to identify him. “Our first thing was to get a house and then we were going to get married.”
Montes is described as having a big heart and an old soul. A person who always put herself last, to help those she loved first.
“She was an amazing person,” Montes’ fiancé said. “She would have [done] anything for anybody, never judged anybody, she was always nice… people didn’t just like her, they loved her”
On December 9, Montes was driving near 7th Avenue and Beardsley Road when she was shot and killed by a person in another vehicle after a traffic altercation, Phoenix police said.
Montes’ fiancé and her eight-month pregnant daughter were also in the vehicle at the time of the incident.
“[The police don't] really want us releasing too much about what happened an all that, all I can tell you is that it was a stressful day for us,” Montes’ fiancé said.
The suspect fled the scene. The case is being investigated as a homicide.
A spokesperson from the Phoenix police told 12 News the department “is working diligently on this case, but in an effort to protect the integrity of the investigation, I cannot share any details at this time.”
“We just ask for anybody that knows anything to come out and say something because at the end of the day it could happen to anybody’s mom or sister or anything,” said Montes’ fiancé.
Three days before Montes’ death, her fiancé had a serious rollover accident. As his physical wounds heal, the long journey of healing a broken heart begins.
“She’s a person that deserved the world,” he said. “She showed me more and gave me more than anyone else has given me in my life.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with funeral expenses. They are also organizing a car wash on December 18 and 19 at The Purple Turtle on 51st Ave and Indian School starting at 9:30 a.m.
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