Harmony Montgomery trial – live: Stepmother sobs as she reveals chilling details of murder
Officers saw missing 5-year-old in Sept 2019': Police chief on Harmony Montgomery case
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Adam Montgomery's estranged wife has taken the stand at his trial over the murder of his five-year-old daughter Harmony. Mr Montgomery's trial is under way in New Hampshire, more than four years after Harmony was last seen alive in late 2019.Authorities failed to search for the missing child - who was known to protective services - for more than two years after she went missing. In 2022, Mr Montgomery was charged with [1]second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, falsifying physical evidence, and witness tampering[2]. Kayla Montgomery told police that her husband struck the little girl several times after she had a bathroom accident.[3]
"She was crying and making a weird noise," Kayla Montgomery told the court on Friday. "Adam was punching her repeatedly in the head ... He said 'Shut the f*** up, stop crying." He then placed Harmony's body in a cooler which he then snuck into his workplace freezer[4], before disposing of her remains in March 2020.
Harmony's remains have never been found.
Show latest update 1707548400Kayla Montgomery's 'betrayal' demands in prison letter
During opening statements, the defence introduced a prison letter allegedly written by Kayla Montgomery after she was arrested on theft charges for collecting welfare benefits for the missing child between December 2019 and June 2021. In the letter, she allegedly wrote the things she wanted in exchange for "betraying Adam." Among the things she reportedly requested were "immunity from everything, all charges she was facing ... maybe ankle bracelet, or probation or drug rehab, kids in my life, not lose custody and have kids live with me."
The prosecution had previously suggested during their opening statements that Harmony died after her father repeatedly hit her in the head because she had soiled herself. The state argued that Kayla Montgomery didn't come forward with information sooner because she was being abused and "terrorised" by her husband. On Friday, defence attorney Caroline Smith read the letter out loud.
Among other demands, Kayla wrote that she wanted to see Montgomery "one last time, kiss him, and maybe make love to him," Ms Smith said -- casting doubt on the prosecution's argument that Kayla initially lied to officials because she was being threatened by Montgomery. "What you didn't write was protection from Adam, what you didn't write was that you were afraid of Adam," Ms Smith asked. "You just wanted to be with him before you, as you put it, betray him, right?" "I wasn't thinking about that .... yes," Kayla answered.
Kayla Montgomery, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison last year over perjury charges, is expected to be the prosecution's strongest witness. Andrea Blanco10 February 2024 07:00
[5]1707541200Montgomery discussed using NutriBullet to further reduce remains
"He wanted to use a handsaw and a NutriBullet," Kayla told the court. "He said that'd be good to use to help get rid of her ... I saw Harmony folded together the same way she was when we took her out of the car.
She looked like she had barely any skin, just skin and bones and was very bruised. He had the hot water running ... in the tub." Andrea Blanco10 February 2024 05:00
[6]1707534038Adam Montgomery used quicklime to dissolve body in bathtub
Montgomery began discussing ways to dispose of Harmony's body in March 2020, after he and Kayla Montgomery moved to an apartment on Union Street with their children.
"He discussed using a saw to cut her up. He discussed using lime to further decompose her so she couldn't be found," the prosecution said during opening statements. "Remember, he believed that if there was nobody there could be no evidence and he could get away with this." The state said that he compressed the sealed bag with Harmony's remains and added quicklime to the bag.
"Thinking that it would eat away anything left of her," the prosecution said. "He spent most of the day in that bathroom compressing Harmony." According to the prosecution, Montgomery took Harmony's frozen remains and put them in the tub, running hot water to further manipulate what was left of the body. Kayla Montgomery then walked inside the bathroom and allegedly saw Montgomery
She saw that Harmony was largely skin, bones and fluid - and that Mr Montgomery was trying to dispose Andrea Blanco10 February 2024 03:00
[7]1707526838Montgomery took daughter's rotting remains to work with him
At the time, he worked as a cook and dishwasher at the since-closed Portland Pie Company. "[The bag] stood out to people, because he placed it in the freezer during his shifts," a prosecutor said. "He brought it with him regularly to work and he stored it in a freezer where the company kept food, and ingredients.
People saw him bringing that in and out. They couldn't have imagined what that bag contained." Andrea Blanco10 February 2024 01:00
[8]1707519638Adam Montgomery's fingerprints found next to Harmony's blood
After Harmony was killed on 7 December 2019, her father, stepmother Kayla Montgomery, and the couple's two infant children moved in with Kayla's mother.
At that time, Montgomery reportedly kept Harmony's remains inside a red freezer with a white lid. "He compressed and contorted her body into this bag," the prosecution said while showing a medium-sized tote bag. The state said that when investigators returned to the room two years later, they saw deep blood stains in the ceiling vent and smelled decomposition.
"And surrounding Harmony's blood, all that was left of her .... the defendant's fingerprints and palm prints, froze in there for a time," the prosecution said. Andrea Blanco9 February 2024 23:00
[9]1707512438When was Harmony last seen?
The last confirmed sighting of Harmony was on 11 September 2019 when Manchester police officers were called to her father's home on 77 Gilford Street in Manchester. Harmony was living with her father as well as his wife Kayla Montgomery and their children at the property at the time.
Law enforcement said the last police callout to the property was in October 2019 but later confirmed they had muddled the dates and it was actually September. Police interviews and statements from various family members also offered a timeline for her last known sighting. Ms Sorey told police she had not been able to contact her daughter since they spoke on a video call in April 2019.
After that, she said Mr Montgomery cut off all contact between her and her daughter. Mr Montgomery first claimed to investigators he last saw his daughter around Thanksgiving 2019, claiming that Ms Sorey had picked her up from Manchester to take her to live with her. According to the criminal complaint, Mr Montgomery claimed to believe his daughter was living with his ex when officers contacted him in December 2021.
He also did "not show much emotion or reaction" when officers said they were concerned whether Harmony was alive, the complaint alleges. His story was also contradicted by Ms Montgomery, who told police she last saw Harmony the day after Thanksgiving when her husband said he was driving her to see Ms Sorey. Mr Montgomery's uncle Kevin Montgomery told investigators he had not seen Harmony or his nephew since late 2019 when she was five years old.
Andrea Blanco9 February 2024 21:00
[10]1707511444Court adjourns
The trial will resume on Monday. Andrea Blanco9 February 2024 20:44
[11]1707507738Defence confronts Kayla Montgomery about lies to grand jury
"You talked to the jury with a straight face about what she was wearing," Ms Smith asks Kayla Montgomery. "Even though the Star Wars hoodie was what you cut off her body in the shower at Union Square Avenue." "You said the last time you saw Harmony she was happy, and you had no problem with that lie."
Andrea Blanco9 February 2024 19:42
[12]1707505624Kayla Montgomery under cross-examination by defence
With her head down, Kayla answered questions about the "betrayal" prison letter she wrote in which she demanded immunity and custody of her kids in exchange of testifying against Adam Montgomery. "One of the things you wanted was one last time, maybe kiss him or make love?" Defence attorney Caroline Smith asked. "Right," Kayla answered.
"What you didn't write was protection from Adam, what you didn't write was that you were afraid of Adam," Ms Smith continued. "You just wanted to be with him before you, as you put it, betray him, right?" "Yes," Kayla answered. Andrea Blanco9 February 2024 19:07
[13]1707500299Court to resume shortly
Court is taking a lunch recess.
Andrea Blanco9 February 2024 17:38
[14]References
- ^ Mr Montgomery was charged with (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ second-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, falsifying physical evidence, and witness tampering (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ struck the little girl several times after she had a bathroom accident. (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ placed Harmony's body in a cooler which he then snuck into his workplace freezer (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707548400 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707541200 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707534038 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707526838 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707519638 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707512438 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707511444 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707507738 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707505624 (www.independent.co.uk)
- ^ 1707500299 (www.independent.co.uk)