Father of Harmony Montgomery charged with her murder
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Oct. 24—Adam Montgomery has been charged with murder in the death of his 5-year-old daughter, Harmony.
The second-degree murder charge and other charges announced Monday come 10 months after authorities announced that Harmony had been last seen in late 2019 and asked the public to help find her.
A search that went on for months segued into a murder investigation in August. Police have not said whether they have found her body.
According to the murder charge, Montgomery struck Harmony in the head repeatedly on Dec. 7, 2019, with a closed fist.
He faces three other charges:
Falsifying physical evidence, for trying to destroy, conceal or remove the body of Harmony sometime between Dec. 7, 2019, and March 4, 2020.
Abuse of a corpse, for trying to remove, conceal or destroy Harmony's corpse or part of her corpse between Dec. 7, 2019, and March 4, 2020.
Witness tampering, for trying to induce his estranged wife, Kayla Montgomery, to testify falsely, between Dec. 7, 2019, and Jan. 4, 2022.
Police said Montgomery was taken from Valley Street jail, where he has been in custody since early January, to the police station Monday morning. He was formally arrested and booked on the charges and returned to the jail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Hillsborough County Superior Court on Tuesday.
A telephone message left with Montgomery's public defender, Caroline Smith, was not immediately returned.
Manchester Police Chief Allen Aldenberg and Attorney General John Formella made the announcement at the Manchester police station Monday afternoon. They were flanked by detectives, prosecutors and a deputy U.S. marshal who have been working the case for months.
Aldenberg said the charges are of no solace to the police force or Harmony's family.
He said the charges will prompt additional discussions and speculation.
As he has done in past press briefings, Aldenberg paused at times to keep his emotions from overtaking him.
"I know of no other way to respect and honor this innocent and defenseless child than to extend an act of kindness to another child in her memory," Aldenberg said. "Just take a few moments out of your day to say something nice to a child.
"Give him or her a hug, or special words of encouragement. Give them an extra hug or just simply tell them that you love them and that you will always protect them."
In a statement, Gov. Chris Sununu thanked law enforcement for "their unwavering efforts" in the case and said he has "full confidence they will ensure Adam Montgomery is held accountable for his evil actions."
The charges come just weeks before Montgomery is expected to go on trial on various charges involving the theft of a shotgun and assault rifle from a Manchester home about the time that Harmony went missing. Montgomery has a lengthy criminal record, so if convicted, he faces decades behind bars on the weapon charges.
Kayla Montgomery faces charges involving welfare fraud, witness tampering and possession of stolen guns. She is listed as a witness for the prosecution in Adam Montgomery's upcoming weapons trial.
