THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 22, 1995 TAG: 9502220433
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
A co-worker and close friend of Nancy Mont in Delaware said Tuesday that Catrina, Daniel and Theresa Mont were ``the three most perfect children in the world.''
The youngsters were killed late Saturday night by their father, Douglas John Mont, 35, in the parking lot of the First Flight Airport near the Wright Memorial.
The father killed himself when approached by officers about 11 hours after the children were shot and then burned.
The tragedy stunned this community and the neighbors of the family in Seaford, Del.
Peggy Granger, 45, worked with Nancy Mont at Seaford Storage and Moving. In a telephone interview, she recounted her memories of the children - ages 9-year-old Catrina, 6-year-old Daniel and 4-year-old Theresa - who will be buried Friday in Seaford.
``Catrina was an `A' student,'' Granger said. ``She was a caring older sister. She was a beautiful child, a loving child and a very loving daughter.
``Daniel was a sweet young man who was always willing to help and protect his mother and sisters. He was a polite little boy,'' she said.
Granger had a special memory of the youngest child, Theresa.
``She was an innocent child,'' she said. ``She always told me `I'm going to marry John.' John is my grandson.''
Granger said the children's father, Douglas Mont, gave no hint of trouble when he picked up the children for the last time from his estranged wife.
And Granger said no one knew why he drove the children to this Outer Banks beach community.
``There was no note,'' she said.``No one here knows why he went to North Carolina.''
Granger said the couple separated in May. She said Nancy Mont tried unsuccessfully to convince Sussex County court officials that her husband was a danger to the children.
Granger said the couple separated because of threats of violence by Mont against his wife, and abuse of the children.
Granger said she returned home Monday night after spending much of the weekend at Nancy Mont's home. She said the Delaware town is trying to come to grips with the tragedy.
``It's such a senseless crime,'' she said. ``Everyone here is in complete shock.''
And strangers in Kill Devil Hills continue to bring flowers to the edge of the little airport where the slayings occurred. About 15 floral arrangements and notes were at the blackened pavement where the burned Ford van was found early Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, state police in Delaware are looking into the possibility that the deaths may be a ``copy cat'' killing. A Delaware man earlier in the month killed his two children and then himself.
KEYWORDS: MURDER SUICIDE by CNB