Teen With Prior Shooting Conviction Accused of Killing Pregnant Mom of 4

A 17-year-old California boy who had previously been arrested in connection with a shooting is now accused of killing a pregnant mother of four inside a Spirit Halloween store. Prosecutors are seeking to have the teenager prosecuted as an adult.

Fairfield police said Monte Smith was arrested Nov. 2, days after the shooting at Solano Town Center that killed 31-year-old Constance Hages and left six other people injured.

The Solano County District Attorney’s Office has charged Smith with two counts of murder and filed a request to transfer the case from juvenile court to adult court.

According to Fairfield police, Smith had been arrested in an earlier shooting before the deadly Halloween store attack. That 2025 incident involved gunfire in a local high school parking lot after classes had ended. Police said Smith was sentenced in that case and later released.

“It’s time for change in California,” Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall said, according to KTVU. “I don’t know how many more people have to die at the hands of youth. Hopefully we’ve had plenty enough.”

Prosecutors cited Smith’s criminal history as part of their argument for keeping him in custody.

“Due to the seriousness of these crimes, the minor’s criminal record, and the threat to public safety, the people will argue that Smith remain detained,” the DA’s office said.

The court filing also references a previous violent felony conviction that prosecutors characterized as a strike. However, the DA’s announcement did not identify the offense behind that conviction.

Hages’ death has left four children without their mother, according to a GoFundMe campaign created by her aunt, Clanisha Morton. Police confirmed that Hages was pregnant at the time of the shooting.

“Constance was deeply loved, and her absence has created an overwhelming void in the lives of everyone who knew and cherished her,” Morton wrote in the fundraiser.

The family is seeking donations to cover funeral costs and help provide for Hages’ children.

Police said the shooting began at about 8:30 p.m. Oct. 30, when Smith allegedly entered the store and saw another customer investigators believe he was targeting.

Smith allegedly drew a firearm and fired several shots, hitting that individual and six others, police said. Hages was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the suspected target or explained what may have prompted the attack.

Smith reportedly left the store within minutes, shortly before officers arrived. While emergency crews treated the victims, a school resource officer helped police identify the suspect.

While reviewing surveillance footage, the officer recognized Smith as a former student and immediately notified detectives, police said. That lead allowed investigators to identify him within hours of the first 911 calls. Detectives later found him at a home in nearby Suisun City.

Because Smith was 17, police initially did not release his name. The Solano County District Attorney’s Office identified him later when announcing the charges.

The FBI also assisted with the investigation, confirming to News Media that its Evidence Response Team helped Fairfield police process a portion of the crime scene.

In addition to the two murder counts, Smith faces three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a semiautomatic weapon and multiple gun enhancements, according to the DA’s office. Prosecutors also filed a multiple-murder special circumstance allegation.

The office announced that Smith’s arraignment and detention hearing was scheduled for Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. Its request to prosecute him as an adult requires a judge’s approval.

Police have not identified the school involved in the earlier shooting or said when Smith was released in that case.

In an update Saturday about the surviving victims, police said a 16-year-old boy, a 19-year-old man and a 32-year-old man were in critical condition, while a 23-year-old man was in critical but stable condition. Two other men, ages 19 and 43, had been treated for gunshot wounds and released.

The department’s arrest announcement did not provide updated conditions.

“Although an arrest has been made, our work is not over,” Fairfield police said. “The criminal justice process will now move forward, and we remain committed to ensuring accountability for the lives impacted by this senseless act of violence.”

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Fairfield police at 707-428-7600 or email 1030mall@fairfield.ca.gov.