Exclusive | Gunman in Montana massacre that left 8 dead pictured for first time — as his slain sister’s best friend reveals red flags

The gunman who slaughtered eight of his relatives at a Montana home has been pictured for the first time – as his sister’s best friend has revealed his “verbally abusive” behavior before the tragedy.

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Alan Smith, 44, had “no job” and “no money” when he stormed out of the family home in Billings, before returning weeks later and murdering eight relatives before torching the house and taking his own life, according to a close friend of his victim and sister, Megan Ireland-Ghekiere, 39.

Megan’s two children, Chloe, 7, and Owen, 13, and stepchildren Charlotte, 12, and Landon Ghekiere, 15, were killed in the attack, along with her parents, Barbara, 72, and Dana Smith, 73, and grandma, Evelyn Smith, 92.

Kelsey Granger, 36, who was maid of honor at both of Megan’s weddings, told The Post how she had known Smith for years – but hadn’t known him to be physically violent.

“I know he was verbally abusive towards Megan occasionally as well as her children. He hadn’t been very nice to her children when he left,” Granger said from her home in Washington State.

“But as far as I know from what she told me, he left of his own accord. Nobody kicked him out of the house,” she added.

Granger, who has matching butterfly tattoos to her “sister” Megan, described how Smith left the home around the “end of July.”

“I know she talked to me about it about July 14 or so, and then I believe the following week he left and did not tell anyone where he was going,” she said.

“But he didn’t have a job. He had no income as far as I know. So we didn’t know where he was, but we were not concerned,” Granger said. “I don’t believe her parents thought he was violent.” 

Granger, who had known Megan since she was just eight years old, described how her best friend had sent her a video discussing plans to see “The Nutcracker” at Christmas on Sunday at around noon — just six hours before police say her older brother arrived at the house.

“Her husband [Adam] called me that night. He called me when he found out the house was on fire to tell me that they were all in the house and he wasn’t sure if anyone was okay,” Granger said.

“I immediately called her. Her phone went to voicemail. Her mom’s phone went to voicemail. And then a couple of hours later, he told me what happened, that they were all gone,” she said.

Cops still don’t have an official motive for Saturday’s mass killing, as they continue to painstakingly sift through the ashes of the house.

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Follow the latest news on the tragic massacre of a family in Montana:

• Montana gunman who massacred 8 family members ID’d as possible motive revealed: ‘Many red flags’
• Mom of two children who were among 8 family members killed in Montana house massacre speaks out about ‘honoring’ slain kids
• 12-year-old girl killed in Montana massacre was ‘hero’ who called 911 to try to save family
• ‘Unbelievable’ belongings recovered after gunman kills his 8 family members before setting Montana home on fire

She knows the 4,000-square-foot house on the outskirts of Billings well, having visited it whenever she was in town.

“I used to go over there for dinner all the time. We always had Friday dinners there. We would sit in the driveway and watch her kids ride their bikes,” Granger said.

She last saw her friend in May when they and a couple of friends had gone to Hot Springs for a girls’ weekend.

Granger described Megan as her “therapist” and her “big sister,” saying she was always there for her when she had a problem.

“She loved butterflies. We have matching butterfly tattoos,” she said. “I have half of a butterfly and she has the other half on her arm.”

The pair shared many key milestones, including being pregnant at the same time — “Her daughter is five weeks younger than my son” — and made a point of talking every day as well as visiting each other multiple times a year.

More than anything, Granger wants her friend to be remembered as the “great mom” and “kind-hearted person” that she was.

“She was a single mom for the majority of her time as being a mom to Owen and Chloe,” Granger said.

“She got her own home, her own place, and she supported her family on her own… she was a really strong and kind person.”

Granger said the friends and family of the victims are staying strong in the wake of this tragedy, with a GoFundMe and several food appeals set up to support those left behind.

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