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A Northwest Fire/Rescue District captain accused of failing to disclose a homicide conviction and misusing his position as warehouse supervisor was fired Tuesday.

Capt. Robert A. Montijo is "in the termination process at this time. The process allows for seven days to file an appeal," said Katy Heiden, a district spokeswoman.

Montijo received notice of his impending termination Monday via a letter from Fire Chief Jeff Piechura.

In it, Piechura told Montijo that a preliminary decision had been made to terminate him due to his "apparent violations of district policy, and possibly state law."

Piechura was referring to the conclusions of an Aug. 19 report prepared for the district by Ronald J. Stolkin of the law firm Fennemore Craig. The report reviewed earlier investigations into whether Montijo mishandled public money when he reimbursed a firefighter for the purchase of custom boots.

The firefighter bought $433 custom boots but Montijo only charged him $165.99, leaving the district to foot the difference.

Montijo violated district policy and attempted to cover it up by directing a subordinate to falsify district records, violating the "public trust in the handling and accounting of public funds," Stolkin wrote.

An independent investigation into the purchase of the boots, however, cleared Montijo of defrauding the fire district.

Montijo has been at the center of controversy for months.

Piechura tried to fire Montijo last year, accusing him of failing to disclose his 1987 felony conviction of negligent homicide.

But Montijo appealed the decision, saying that Piechura has known about the conviction since 1992.

Montijo served three years of a five-year prison sentence after he was convicted of killing Alexander Torres — which Montijo said he did in self-defense. The man was found beaten and stabbed to death under a South Side bridge.

After being released from prison in 1990, Montijo worked for Rural/Metro Fire Department and then for Northwest.

In March, a supervisor documented that Montijo — who had been named warehouse supervisor three months prior — was using district equipment to conduct personal business during work hours.