A Rochester man who was shot during an exchange of gunfire with members of a U.S. Marshals task force in Buffalo on Monday may have ties to a homicide investigation that led authorities to discover a woman’s body in Yates County earlier this year.
According to WKBW in Buffalo, citing law enforcement sources, 30-year-old Keith Holmes, also known as “August,” is wanted for questioning by Rochester Police in connection with the death of 29-year-old Majesty Montgomery.
Holmes was shot Monday when members of a U.S. Marshals task force attempted to execute a federal warrant. Authorities say Holmes allegedly opened fire on officers, who returned fire, striking him. He was transported to Erie County Medical Center for treatment. No law enforcement officers were injured.
As of Tuesday, Holmes had not been charged in connection with the shooting or Montgomery’s death.
The case has local significance because Montgomery’s body was discovered in Yates County on May 8, one day after her family reported her missing in Rochester.
According to Rochester Police, investigators searching a property in Yates County found Montgomery buried several feet underground.
“Walking the property, we found an area that just didn’t look right. We started digging and found the body of Majesty buried several feet underground,” Rochester Police Major Crimes Captain Frank Umbrino said during a previous briefing on the case.
Authorities have not publicly identified Holmes as a suspect in Montgomery’s death, and Rochester Police have not announced any arrests in the homicide investigation.
Court records indicate Holmes was serving federal probation after completing a prison sentence on federal fentanyl trafficking and firearms convictions originating in Maine. Records show his sentence was commuted in December 2024 as part of a series of federal sentence commutations.
The investigation into Montgomery’s death remains ongoing.
Anyone with information related to the homicide is encouraged to contact Rochester Police.
