Harmony Montgomery’s mother reacts as father Adam is convicted of her murder
GRAPHIC WARNING: Disturbing content. Harmony Montgomery, five, was last seen alive in late 2019, but authorities in Manchester, New Hampshire, only started looking for her two years later
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The mother of slain five-year-old Harmony Montgomery spoke to reporters outside a courtroom after the little girl’s father was convicted of her murder.
Jurors convicted Adam Montgomery on all charges following a gruelling trial which took place more than four years on from when Harmony was last seen alive in 2019.
Authorities failed to search for the missing child – who was known to protective services – for more than two years after she went missing.
Kayla Montgomery testified that her husband struck the Harmony several times after she had a bathroom accident.
She testified that, after killing her, the family drove to a Burger King. She fed her two young sons and placed a sandwich on Harmony’s lap without realising she was dead.
“After the defendant repeatedly struck Harmony. After he put the blanket over her. After she moaned. After the strange crying moaning stopped. After you did drugs and after the car died, you thought she was sleeping under that blanket,” the prosecutor said.
“Why did you think that she may be sleeping after Adam repeatedly struck her?”
“Because she would usually just go to sleep after,” Kayla answered.
The little girl’s remains were hidden in a ceiling vent at a shelter where the family stayed after her death. Montgomery snuck the remains into his workplace freezer, before disposing of them in March 2020. Harmony’s remains have never been found.
After the verdict was handed down, Harmony’s mother Crystal Sorey told reporters she was “grateful” that it was over – but vowed that she and authorities would not stop fighting to find her daughter’s body.
She also slammed Montgomery as a “coward” for failing to attend any of his trial.
In a press conference, Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg also vowed to continue to push to find Harmony.
“We’re still going to find her,” Chief Aldenberg told reporters as he choked back tears.
“This girl deserves better than the life that she had. This is never about winning or losing, this is about a five-year-old girl who was killed by her father. And I can’t think of a worse crime.”
Adam Montgomery’s defence tries to blame Harmony’s murder on wife in closing statements
Harmony Montgomery’s father posted ‘loving’ social media post two years before allegedly punching her to death
Rampant abuse, damning DNA evidence and a ‘betrayal’ prison letter: Harmony Montgomery trial’s key revelations
Jurors ask about definition of ‘consciously disregarded’
The judge, prosecutors and the defence discussed the jury’s question privately.
According to WMUR, the jury asked how the court would define the term “consciously disregarded.”
“The jury has been given the legal definition of the mental state recklessly. You must use the definition provided,” the court was quoted as saying in their answer. “You should use your common sense in judgment, and consider the ordinary usage of the terms within the definition. No additional instruction on this will be provided.”
BREAKING NEWS:Verdict reached
A verdict has been reached, according to WFLA.
Verdict reached in Adam Montgomery’s trial over daughter Harmony’s murder
A panel of jurors have reached a verdict in Adam Montgomery’s trial over the murder of his five-year-old daughter.
Montgomery, 34, is standing trial in Manchester, New Hampshire for allegedly beating Harmony Montgomery to death in December 2019. Two weeks and a half into the proceedings and after testimony from more than two dozen witnesses, the prosecution and the defence delivered their closing arguments on Wednesday morning.
Verdict reached in Adam Montgomery’s trial over daughter Harmony’s murder
The jury only took X hours to deliberate on a second-degree murder charge against Montgomery
BREAKING: Adam Montgomery found guilty on all charges
Montgomery is not in court. He has refused to attend his trial.
The courtroom is filled with Manchester Police officers
Several investigators took the stand throughout the trial, and one of the witnesses described the search for Harmony as the department’s “biggest investigation.”
Harmony’s mother Crystal Sorey reacts to guilty verdict
“It was a relief, for a second I thought he was going to get away with it,” Ms Sorey said.
“I’ve heard it so much over the last four years. It was very hard, but I have to stay strong for my boys. I’m going on five years clean. I’m her voice, I’m the person who is going to carry her memory and never forget her.”
“He is a coward. He took her away from the people who loved her because he couldn’t handle that he didn’t have control.”
Crystal Sorey says Montgomery will have to face her during sentencing
“I’ll be there, and I’ll be looking him in the face while I say my victim impact statement. He can’t get away from that,” Ms Sorey said. “He has to be there. He has to listen.”
Ms Sorey thanked everyone who reached out to her and supported her throughout the last four years.
“I did everything that I could.”
Ms Sorey says Harmony ‘is no longer a Montgomery'
“She’s no longer Harmony Montgomery. She’s Harmony Renee. She’s not a Montgomery,” Ms Sorey says.
The defence’s succinct response to reporters outside courtroom
“Everything we had to say, we said in court,” attorney Caroline Smith told reporters when asked why her client did not attend his trial.
BREAKING: Adam Montgomery found guilty of daughter Harmony’s 2019 murder
Jurors in Montgomery’s three-week trial in Manchester, New Hampshire, heard testimony from more than two dozen witnesses before the prosecution and the defence delivered closing arguments on Wednesday morning.
Montgomery, 34, was found guilty on a second-degree charge in connection with Harmony’s death in December 2019. Earlier in the trial, Montgomery had conceded on two lesser charges of abuse of a corpse and falsifying information.
Shortly after 1pm on Thursday after nearly seven hours of deliberation, Judge Amy Messer announced that a verdict had been reached. Harmony’s mother Crystal Sorey, and her foster parents Michelle and Timothy Raftery were in the courtroom when Judge Messer read the guilty verdict. Montgomery only attended the first day of jury selection and did not return to the courtroom for the remainder of the proceedings
Read more:
Adam Montgomery found guilty of daughter Harmony’s 2019 murder
Earlier in the trial, Montgomery had conceded on two lesser charges of abuse of a corpse and falsifying information
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