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Twenty days after a fatal shooting outside the Jade Fox Lounge, the man accused of pulling the trigger is still on the run.
Lakeland police say Janard Dominic Childs, 34, fatally shot his former friend, Deandre “Dre” Montgomery Sr., during an early-morning confrontation outside the nightclub on Feb. 22.
An arrest warrant issued the same day charges Childs with second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and tampering with or destroying evidence. But as of Friday, March 13, he has not been found.
Heartland Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Childs is described as 6-foot-1 and about 240 pounds, according to jail records. He has gold teeth and shoulder-length dreadlocks, lightened at the ends — although he posted on Feb. 13 that he planned to cut his hair.
To submit a tip to Heartland Crime Stoppers:
- Call 1-888-400 TIPS (8477)
- Dial **TIPS from a cell phone
- Visit the Heartland Crime Stoppers website and click “Submit A Tip.”
- Download the free “P3tips” mobile app on Google Play or the Apple App Store.
Montgomery’s killing is the only homicide in Lakeland in the past three years in which a suspect has not yet been arrested. But the manhunt may extend beyond the city limits because Childs has ties to several cities around the country.
Friends of the victim have taken to social media using the hashtags #justicefordre and #LLDre, asking family members in other states to share Childs’ mugshot. One post had more than 17,000 views and had been shared 138 times as of Friday, March 13.
Final farewell
As the search continues, Montgomery’s family and friends have begun saying goodbye.
There was a viewing on Friday, March 6, at the Tenth Street Church of God. The following day, mourners gathered at New Bethel AME Church for a celebration-of-life service that ended with the release of four white doves.
Montgomery, 38, was laid to rest Saturday, March 7, at Serenity Gardens Cemetery.
Other cities
LPD spokeswoman Robin Tillett declined to say if detectives were in contact with law enforcement agencies outside of Polk County.
“Investigators are still actively working on leads and processing evidence,” she said. “To ensure we maintain the integrity of the case and protect any work in progress, we do not have any additional information to share publicly at this time.”
But Childs’ social media posts suggest connections to several other cities.
Houston: Childs’ Facebook profile says he attended Westfield High School in north Houston. He said he spent time in juvenile detention there on his “first gun charge.” He also posted on Feb. 17 that he had one “bm” (baby momma) in Houston and a son who is about to turn 18.
Atlanta: Childs also has ties to Atlanta. In a May 10, 2025, post, he shared a flyer listing himself as a performer at a club in the city. In another post on June 5, 2025, he wrote: “Forever I Love Atlanta!” On April 25, 2025, he claimed: “I been out 15 months, bought 7 cars from here to Atlanta.”
Kansas City, Kansas: Childs also posted about visiting casinos in Kansas City, Kansas at least twice in the past year, including a Feb. 4, 2026, trip with his mother.
Long incarceration
Childs frequently mentioned a long stint in prison on Facebook.
Childs said he had only been free for 90 days after finishing a 15-year sentence when he was arrested in Lakeland on Sept. 15, 2022, at age 30. He later served 17 months in prison in that case.
On Feb. 10 — about a week and a half before the shooting — he wrote: “I did a decade and a half already! I ain’t going!”’
The 15-year sentence does not appear in public Florida or Texas prison records, possibly because it involved a juvenile offense or occurred in another state.
Hours online
In the hours before the shooting, Childs was active on Facebook.
Between 2:51 p.m. and 11:55 p.m., he made 167 posts.
Many focused on themes of betrayal and loyalty. One repost said, “The devil attacks through people you think love you. Watch your circle.”
Others included:
- “Worst feeling is finding out you was being loyal to a snake.”
- “The disrespect at the end was so loud that the memories held no value.”
- “You cannot do ugly things to people and expect a beautiful life.”
- “Either my story gon end tragic or legendary…”
In the final posts, ending five minutes before midnight, Childs shared more than two dozen news reports about shootings in southeast Houston.
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