A Mississippi man and onetime actuality TV present star was convicted on murder-for-hire expenses by federal jurors in Missouri.
James Timothy “Tim” Norman, 43, was discovered responsible of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud over the March 2016 capturing dying of his 21-year-old nephew Andre Montgomery Jr. in St. Louis.
Throughout trial, prosecutors confirmed that Norman took out a life insurance coverage coverage to the tune of $450,000 on his nephew, then organized “although intermediaries” for the younger man’s homicide to be able to reap the advantages together with Montgomery’s dying, the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Japanese District of Missouri stated in a Friday press launch.
Norman and Montgomery each appeared on the truth present Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s, a program about soul meals eating places within the St. Louis space that had been based in 1996 by Robbie Montgomery, Norman’s mom, a former soul singer. The present was produced by and aired on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN community for 9 seasons.
Previous to Norman’s trial, three co-defendants took plea offers.
Travell Anthony Hill, 31, pleaded responsible to at least one rely of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and one rely of murder-for-hire. The primary co-defendant admitted that he met with a mutual acquaintance shared with Norman who informed Hill that Norman needed his nephew lifeless.
“On the day of Montgomery’s dying, Hill and Norman met in St. Louis and Norman informed Hill {that a} lady can be calling with Montgomery’s location,” the USAO press launch explains. “After receiving a name from the girl, Terica Ellis, Hill fatally shot Montgomery with a .380-caliber handgun at 8:02 p.m. after which disposed of the gun and his cellphone. He was later paid $5,000.”
Hill pleaded responsible in June of this yr. Ellis and a 3rd co-conspirator took their plea offers in late July.
The press launch particulars Ellis’ function in Montgomery’s dying:
Ellis, an unique dancer from Memphis, Tennessee, admitted discovering Montgomery twice for Norman earlier than the homicide and offering Montgomery’s whereabouts first to Norman, then to Hill, utilizing pay as you go “burner” telephones Ellis and Norman bought collectively. Ellis admitted figuring out that Norman was upset and annoyed by his incapability to find Montgomery and figuring out that Norman was going to take some type of motion, however she didn’t know Montgomery can be shot. Norman paid her $10,000 for locating his nephew and informed her to get rid of her burner cellphone after the homicide.
The ultimate co-defendant within the case was an insurance coverage agent who admitted to serving to Norman fraudulently get hold of a life insurance coverage coverage on his nephew. In sum, 5 separate functions had been filed that misstated Montgomery’s earnings, internet price, medical historical past, employment, and household background.
After an almost two-week-long trial and three days of jury deliberations, Norman was discovered responsible.
“I’d prefer to thank the prosecution staff that labored with an amazing quantity of proof to earn this responsible verdict, in addition to the cooperation and diligence of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Division and the FBI,” U.S. Legal professional Sayler Fleming stated.
The defendant’s sentencing is at present slated for Dec. 15, 2022.
A duplicate of a superseding indictment filed within the case is under:
[image via Madison County, Mississippi Detention Center]
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