Adam Montgomery found guilty of 5-year-old daughter Harmony's murder as coward dad is a no-show during two-week trial | C95XY0G | 2024-02-24 19:08:01
The jury returned the decision towards
The father of missing 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery, who vanished in 2019 and is presumed lifeless, has been found guilty of killing her following an emotional two-week trial.
The jury returned the decision towards Adam Montgomery, 33, on Thursday after almost seven hours of deliberation over two days following harrowing testimony by Harmony's stepmother, pals, and different family members.
Crystal Sorey, Harmony's mom, was in the gallery of the courtroom for the verdict, sporting a shirt with a pink coronary heart that learn "Justice for Harmony."
While ready for the verdict, Sorey could possibly be seen sobbing and being consoled by those around her.
Montgomery was found guilty of all expenses, including second-degree murder, second-degree assault, witness tampering, abuse of a corpse, and falsifying evidence.
Through the trial, Montgomery's estranged wife, Kayla Montgomery, testified that he beat Harmony to demise after she had repeated toilet accidents in the Chrysler Sebring that the family was dwelling in on the time.
Kayla emotionally advised the jury that, after Montgomery killed his 5-year-old daughter,& she saw him take Harmony's lifeless body and "fold her in half, and squished" her inside a Catholic Medical Middle hospital bag.
She also revealed to the jury that the tote bag was then carried around in the stroller that sat her different youngsters.
The child's body was moved round a number of places and placed in the trunk of a car, a cooler in an apartment building, the ceiling vent of a homeless shelter, and a freezer, Kayla stated.
The father was a no-show at courtroom during his two-week trial.
On the primary day, the decide defined to Montgomery over video conference his constitutional right to be present in courtroom.
He officially waved his right to seem however was informed by the decide that transport from jail can be offered if he needed to attend in the future.
<!-- End of Brightcove Player --> Nevertheless, Montgomery refused the transport and was by no means present.
The decide can pressure him to seem for his sentencing, which is slated for late April or Might as a result of scheduling conflicts.
HARMONY'S FINAL MOMENTS
Harmony Montgomery was first reported lacking by her mother, Crystal Sorey, on November 18, 2021, who referred to as the police after being unable to succeed in Concord for months.
In opening statements at trial, Assistant Lawyer Common Christopher Knowles described how the little girl was murdered.
"He began hanging her as he was driving, holding onto the wheel," Knowles stated.
"He started punching this little woman repeatedly, repeatedly for something she had no management over. He struck her blow after blow after blow."
The prosecutor stated that Montgomery – a convicted felon who is serving a 30-year sentence on an unrelated firearms case – stopped for quick meals after brutally abusing his youngster.
"He pulled into that parking zone at Burger King, and he ordered his food," Knowles informed the jury.
"He ordered his meals, and he ate. He didn't cease to verify on Concord.
"He didn't look again at her. He didn't show any concern for this innocent little woman, the child he had simply crushed. He ordered his meals, and he ate. And he didn't stop."
Montgomery never tried to assist Concord, the prosecutor informed the courtroom.
"At no time did anyone cease or get Concord medical consideration as the result of this assault,"& police& wrote in an affidavit.
"She went from [being] a woman who radiated happiness to a scared woman, and from there, she went to be the lifeless woman rotting within the bag," Knowles stated in courtroom.
"After which she went to be the lifeless woman rotting within the ceiling, a ceiling the defendant slept underneath for months."
Prosecutors stated that Montgomery ultimately disposed of Concord's body sometime in March 2020.
STEPMOTHER'S ACCOUNT
Kayla testified towards her estranged husband, who she admitted on the stand she still had emotions for.
She is presently serving an& 18-month prison sentence& as part of a plea deal she struck with prosecutors in return for her testimony.
The stepmother has held robust to her account that& Montgomery murdered the 5-year-old girl.
Kayla advised the jury that Montgomery had given her orders to ship the tote bag containing Harmony's stays to his office, where he was employed at the time.
She claimed Montgomery hid the bag in the walk-in freezer at his job at the Portland Pie restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The stepmom additionally stated that Montgomery was uncontrolled within the months following Concord's dying and accused her of working with the& police.
Kayla claimed to have& suffered physical and emotional abuse& by the hands of her estranged husband but stated in courtroom that she still has feelings for him.
"I still care about him because he's the father of my youngsters," Kayla stated when requested by the protection if she nonetheless beloved Montgomery.
"He was my greatest good friend. It's been exhausting for me to only let go," Kayla stated by way of tears.
'COCKY SON OF A B***H'
Kevin Montgomery, the defendant's uncle, was one of many first witnesses to take the stand within the two-week trial.
He revealed to the jury how he witnessed Harmony with a bruised eye throughout considered one of his visits to the family's residence.
"Omg, what the f**okay did you do," Kevin advised Montgomery, describing Harmony's eye as a "full black eye, like a raccoon's eye."
"She didn't do something. I beat the canine s**t out of her," the defendant allegedly advised his uncle.
Kevin expressed that his nephew stated it like a "cocky son of a b***h."
The distraught uncle stated he advised his relations, buddies, and Harmony's mother, Sorey, concerning the youngster's eye, "I advised all of them to get assist for Harmony."
Meanwhile, Rebecca Maines, a good friend of Montgomery, testified that the defendant informed her he hated his daughter "to his core" because she reminded him of her mom.
Maines stated Montgomery advised her he "backhanded" the 5-year-old after he witnessed her put her hand over her youthful brother's lips and nostril.
She also stated Montgomery informed her he hated Harmony "right to his core."
Maines added that Montgomery had allegedly been making an attempt to see Concord since 2019 after he dropped her off together with her mother.
"I'm a felony. I don't have a problem telling you that," Maines – who took the stand in a pink prison jumpsuit as she's at present serving time for a parole violation – stated, referring to Montgomery as a past greatest good friend.
'ENRAGED TITAN'
Throughout his closing arguments, prosecutor Ben Agati called Montgomery an "enraged titan" after the protection positioned the blame for Harmony's demise on his estranged wife, Kayla Montgomery.
"'I f**ked up, I f**ked up, I f**ked up,' that's what the defendant informed Travis Seashore the night time he used a U-Haul to disappear Concord's body to no matter place it is proper now, that he is aware of the place it's," Agati informed the jury.
"Not 'we f**ked up,' not 'Kayla f**ked up,' 'I f**ked up.'
"Adam Montgomery was no loving father. He was an enraged titan who had no enterprise being around Harmony."
Concord's mother filed a courtroom request on Tuesday to officially declare her daughter dead.
A decide will hold a hearing on her request on March 11.
She can also be planning on pursuing a wrongful demise claim on behalf of her daughter, in line with courtroom paperwork obtained by& WMUR-TV.
After Montgomery's verdict was read, New Hampshire's governor, Chris Sununu released a press release.
"I am grateful to the decide, jury, and Division of Justice for delivering justice for Harmony. Adam Montgomery is a monster and deserves to spend the remainder of his life in prison," read the assertion, in accordance with CBS.
Montgomery's sentencing shall be held in April or Might resulting from scheduling conflicts.
Prosecutors stated they plan to file a request that may require Montgomery to be current for sentencing, in accordance with WMUR-TV.
Concords mom Crystal Sorey was seen sobbing whereas waiting for Montgomerys verdict[/caption]
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