On December 5, 2024, San Leon resident Bruce Alan Shealy, 45, was found guilty of killing his wife, Amanda Montgomery, in a horrific shooting that took place on December 9, 2022, and was given a life sentence. Days before Christmas, Montgomery was killed and Shealy was gravely injured in the murder, which sparked a string of investigations that finally resulted in Shealy’s conviction.
Galveston County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a residence on the 10,000 block of Parnell Avenue in San Leon on the night of the shooting, stating that bullets had been fired. Deputies arrived and discovered Shealy and Montgomery, both with gunshot wounds, close to a car in the driveway. Although Shealy was able to communicate with officers despite having a gunshot wound to his chest, his wife Montgomery, a well-liked local schoolteacher and mother of two, was discovered dead from numerous gunshot wounds.
Although Shealy and Montgomery had split up three weeks before the shooting, investigators found that they had been spending weekends together for the benefit of their kids. They had intended to take their two kids to Dickinson for the Festival of Lights, so Montgomery drove to Shealy’s house that evening to pick him up. Shealy greeted them outside when Montgomery got there and sent the kids inside to get ice cream. When the kids got back, they saw their parents, both shot, lying on the ground.
Before being sent back inside the house, Shealy’s nine-year-old son was told by his father to get a message and money that had been left for him. The small child was told in the memo to be the man of the house and to look after his sister. This terrifying message revealed Shealy’s plans for his family, and the fact that the kids had seen the aftermath added to the misery.
Shealy first informed first responders that he and Montgomery had been jumped, according to additional investigation when a firearm was found at the site. But Shealy denied remembering Montgomery’s presence or his arrival to pick him up when he was quizzed by Detective Danny Kitchens a few days later, following surgery. The interview ended when Shealy asked for legal counsel after being presented with evidence, including the seized firearm.
Following a forensic examination by the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety, it was discovered that the handgun had Shealy’s DNA on it and had been used to discharge the rounds found inside Montgomery’s body. According to forensic reports, Montgomery’s injuries were consistent with the weapon’s full functionality.
The jury only deliberated for two hours before finding Shealy guilty, despite the defense team’s best efforts to demonstrate that he was not at fault for the murders, arguing that he did not shoot his wife or himself.
Prosecutors Ricque Davis and Shannon Donnelly highlighted the savagery of Shealy’s crimes during the punishment phase, pointing out that a single heinous act might carry a life sentence. Shealy was sentenced to 30 years in prison without the chance of release after the jury rejected Shealy’s lawyers’ argument that a life sentence was only appropriate for career offenders.
The Galveston County District Attorney’s Office conveyed appreciation to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, and other law enforcement organizations for their diligent efforts in securing justice for Amanda Montgomery and her children.
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