Nearly one month after a Father's Day weekend shooting in Belgrade's River Rock neighborhood left one man injured and sparked a multi-agency search, the two suspects accused in the case appeared in Gallatin County Justice Court on Monday.
Watch the full video below:
According to charging documents, the shooting stemmed from a child custody exchange on June 21.
Investigators say the victim, Mario Moreno, told law enforcement his ex-partner, Vanessa Flores Moreno, arrived with her boyfriend, Vincent Herrera. Court documents allege an argument escalated before Herrera exited the vehicle and fired two shots, striking Mario Moreno in the arm and leg.
After the shooting, investigators followed leads to another Belgrade neighborhood where they believed Herrera might be located. A SWAT team and multiple law enforcement agencies responded, but court documents say the pair had already left the area.
Authorities later tracked Herrera and Flores Moreno to the Big Sky area before they were located and arrested in Las Vegas on June 29, according to court records.
Herrera made his initial appearance in Gallatin County Justice Court on Monday. He is charged with attempted deliberate homicide.
During the hearing, prosecutors cited Herrera's criminal history and requested his bond be set at $1 million. The judge ultimately set bail at $250,000.
During the hearing, Herrera told the court Flores Moreno owns a cleaning business and would return to work there if released from custody.
"We do have a good business though. I am not working at it at the moment because obviously I am in jail, but if I was out there I would definitely be working," Herrera said.
Flores Moreno is charged with obstructing justice for her alleged role following the shooting. Her bond was set at $35,000, and her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7.
For neighbors in River Rock, the shooting remains shocking.
Nicole Lamphier, who has lived in the neighborhood for 14 years, said she initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks.
"My son actually came into the room like, 'Did you hear that?' and I was like, 'Oh, it's just firecrackers,'" Lamphier said.
Although her home was not damaged, a neighbor's pickup truck was struck by gunfire.
"Just the thought of, we were in the house and if a stray bullet were to hit through our house, it was kind of scary," Lamphier said.
Weeks later, Lamphier said the violence is still hard to believe.
"They've been good neighbors and it was just all surprising," she said.
