Marin County authorities say prime suspect in fatal shooting has Santa Rosa ties

Marin County sheriff’s officials Thursday identified a man with Santa Rosa connections as the prime suspect in a fatal shooting earlier this month and asked the public to help authorities find him.

Joseph Montgomery, 34, of Marin City has family in Santa Rosa and other cities in the Bay Area, including Vallejo and San Jose, Marin County Sheriff’s Lt. Jamie Scardina said.

Investigators suspect Montgomery shot and killed Jermaine Kennedy, 34, of Richmond on May 10 when the pair encountered one another outside of a Marin City apartment complex, Scardina said. Kennedy used to live in Marin City and had been living in Richmond.

Montgomery, who is black, was described as 5-feet, 4 inches tall and 150 pounds.

Detectives suspect that the shooting was motivated by a years-old disagreement between Montgomery and Kennedy. Scardina described the men as acquaintances.

Both men had attended a memorial service for a Sacramento man the morning before the late-night shooting. Scardina said that man’s death did not appear to be connected to the dispute between Montgomery and Kennedy.

Witnesses told investigators that the Kennedy and Montgomery “had an exchange of words” at a Cole Drive apartment patio area at about 1 a.m. May 10, Scardina said.

Montgomery then pulled out a gun and shot Kennedy several times at close range in the abdomen, Scardina said. Kennedy was rushed to a hospital where he died.

Anyone with information about the case can call the Marin County Sheriff’s Office investigations team at (415) 473-7265. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous may call Bay Area Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS. Callers may be eligible for a reward.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.