Victim knew suspect in Belleville Crossing parking lot murder, police say
An apparent argument led to a fatal shooting on Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of a small strip mall at Belleville Crossing shopping center.
The 20-year-old victim, who worked at Qdoba Mexican Eats, knew the gunman, according to news releases from Belleville police on Sunday and Monday. Police didn’t name any of the parties involved.
”Interpersonal drama and the opportunity to settle an old score led to tragedy and a young life lost,” Acting Police Chief Mark Heffernan stated in one of the releases.
On Sunday, St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. identified the victim as Montavion Conrad, 20, of Belleville. He was pronounced dead at Belleville Memorial Hospital at 4:17 p.m.
Police were dispatched to the strip mall at 3:49 p.m. They rendered aid and secured the scene, then began their investigation and went looking for the suspect, who is now in custody, a release stated.
The strip mall is located near the intersection of Illinois 15 and Frank Scott Parkway. It includes Qdoba, Wingstop, West Belleville Nail Spa and an AT&T store.
The director of operations at the Qdoba restaurant declined to comment Monday on the murder. Adnan Bajramaliu, vice president of operations for the franchisee, North Fork Fresh Mex, emailed the following statement:
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our team member, Montavion Conrad, in this tragic incident. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, and we are cooperating with local authorities as they continue their investigation.”
According to the news releases, preliminary investigation found that:
- The suspect and a female juvenile, both from Collinsville, thought they placed a Wingstop order to the restaurant’s Collinsville location.
- They learned the order had gone to the Belleville Crossing location, so they traveled there to pick it up.
- When they arrived, the suspect recognized the victim, a Qdoba employee, from “previous encounters from past relationship issues.”
- The two men exchanged words, and the victim proceeded toward the suspect as if a fight was about to occur.
- The suspect produced a handgun and shot the victim.
- Officers gathered suspect information to include a vehicle description.
- Responding Belleville patrol officers located the vehicle and pursued it with help from assisting agencies.
- The suspect’s vehicle crashed in the 6600 block of Old St. Louis Road, and the suspect and female juvenile fled.
- Belleville police conducted a manhunt in a wooded area near the crash, assisted by several agencies, using drones and K-9 support.
“The suspect and juvenile female were located less than one hour after the shooting occurred and arrested,” Heffernan stated in the release. “The suspect remains in custody (and) the juvenile has been released to her parents.”
Karry Carter, 29, a manager at Wingstop, said he was working Sunday, heard a gunshot and went outside with another employee to the parking lot, where a man was bleeding, and they called police. The other employee encouraged the man to “keep breathing.”
“It all happened so fast,” Carter said.
West Belleville Nail Spa employees, who declined to give their names, said they heard the gunshot, got “scared,” quickly locked their front and back doors and stayed put until they felt safe.
Two employees were in the AT&T store at the time of the shooting, but no customers. They said they heard and saw nothing and didn’t know about the murder until later.
“These windows are really, really thick,” said employee Cartevian Lee. “It would have to be super loud to hear anything like that.”
The killing at Belleville Crossing was one of two homicides in the city on Sunday. Police found 78-year-old Arthur L. Sheard dead in his home on Union Avenue in the morning. His grandson, Armani E. Floyd, 20, who lived with him, was charged Monday with first-degree murder.
In one release, Heffernan stated that the city’s police officers, detectives and telecommunicators had been “put to the test.”
“They met the challenge head on and arrested two violent offenders that had just committed murder hours before,” he wrote. “Additionally, we are humbled by the support of several surrounding public safety agencies. “
Heffernan called public safety a “team sport” and stated that it’s an honor to be part of St. Clair County’s team.
Heffernan referred to both deaths as “tragic.”
“There is one thing that links the two cases: the suspects did not care about the lives of the victims or the community this would affect,” he stated. “Many have expressed frustration with the violence. We are frustrated too.
“Not all tragedies are preventable, but the public should and does demand a professional response from law enforcement when tragic incidents occur. That demand was met yesterday. I am proud of how our department conducted itself in response to these two heinous acts.”
This story was originally published March 16, 2026 at 5:34 PM.
