LAKELAND, Fla. – A six-week search for a suspected killer ended Wednesday morning when law enforcement caught up with 34-year-old Janard Childs outside an apartment in Plant City. Childs, a Lakeland resident, had been on the run since a February shooting left one man dead outside a local lounge.
The incident dates back to the early hours of Sunday, February 22. Just after 2:00 a.m., Lakeland Police officers patrolling near the Jade Fox Lounge on Lakeland Highlands Road heard a volley of gunfire.
They rushed toward the sound and found a silver Dodge pickup truck with the door hanging open. Nearby, 38-year-old Deandre Montgomery was on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. Though officers and medical staff at Lakeland Regional Health tried to save him, Montgomery did not survive.
Detectives eventually pieced together what happened that night through witness accounts and evidence at the scene.
They say Childs walked up to Montgomery’s truck and started a verbal argument that quickly turned physical. During the fight, Childs allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired several times before jumping into a waiting white Lincoln SUV and speeding away.
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Authorities spent weeks tracking Childs before the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force and Plant City Police Department finally closed in on him today. He was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail without any further trouble.
Childs is now facing heavy charges, including second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and tampering with physical evidence.
In a statement following the arrest, Chief Sam Taylor praised the persistence of his team. “This arrest represents a step toward justice for the family of Mr. Montgomery,” Taylor said. “I’m proud of the dedication shown by our detectives, who have worked tirelessly to pursue every lead since the night of the homicide.”
The Chief also thanked the U.S. Marshals Service and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for their roles in the investigation. For now, Childs remains in custody as the legal process moves forward.
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