BILLINGS, MT — The victims of Sunday’s shooting and house fire in Billings ranged in age from 7 to 92, according to a family friend who said she had permission from the parents of two of the victims to share their names. The dead included four children and four adults, and police said Monday that eight people were killed in the incident on the city’s West End.
The family friend, Jennifer Mercer, described the victims as people connected by family ties and a shared meal at the home. She said the names she was able to confirm were Landon Geikere, 13; Charlotte Geikere, 12; and Owen Geikere, 13. She also identified Megan Geikere, 43, and Evelyn Smith, 40, as among those killed.
Family friend says the victims were gathered for dinner at the White Star Circle home
Mercer said the shooting happened at 313 White Star Circle, where the family was gathering for dinner. She said the parents of two of the younger victims asked her to speak publicly, and she shared the names and ages of those who died in the attack.
According to Mercer, the victims also included Daniel Geikere, 58, Barb Smith, 68, and a 7-year-old child. Police have not publicly released the names of the dead, and the investigation remained active as officers and other first responders worked the scene. The home was still being examined days after the violence, underscoring how complicated the case remains.
GoFundMe pages and community support are helping the surviving family
Mercer said she was trying to help the surviving family members, including the grieving mother of Landon and Charlotte Geikere, by raising money and organizing support. A GoFundMe page tied to the family had already collected nearly $106,000 by Tuesday afternoon. Another page set up for Adam Geikere and the remaining relatives was also underway.
Mercer said the money would help with funeral expenses, travel, time away from work, and other unexpected costs. She described the family as devastated and said the community had responded quickly with food, assistance, and other help after the tragedy.
Police say the scene suggests a self-inflicted gunshot wound and nine deaths total
Billings police said officers were first called to the home around 8:01 p.m. Sunday after a disturbance report. About 11 minutes later, they were dispatched again, this time for gunfire, and soon after that for a fire at the same address.
On Tuesday, police said the shooter died at the hospital after a self-inflicted gunshot wound and that nine people were dead in all, including the shooter. Officials said the scene will continue to be processed for several more days. They have also said they expect to release more information at a Wednesday afternoon briefing.
Mercer says the family wants the victims remembered beyond the violence
Mercer said the children should be remembered for who they were, not only for the way they died. She said Landon, who was about to enter seventh grade, was funny, precocious and adored pictures. Charlotte, she said, loved exploring the world, turning over rocks to look for bugs and smiling in a way that lit up a room.
She also said the family was strong and caring, and that the tragedy had cut short lives that still had so much ahead of them. Mercer said the goal now is to give Adam Geikere time and financial security while the family mourns and tries to make sense of what happened.
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