‘He’s always been a coward’: Jury finds Adam Montgomery guilty of killing his 5-year-old daughter Harmony

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, Adam Montgomery, 34, has been convicted of second-degree murder and other crimes for the death of his five-year-old daughter Harmony who disappeared in 2019 and whose body has never been found.

The jury delivered their verdict on Thursday, February 22, after a week-long trial that featured the testimony of Harmony’s stepmother, Kayla Montgomery, who said she witnessed Adam Montgomery beat Harmony to death.

Prosecutor says, ‘It’s a very big relief that they’ve held him accountable’

The prosecutor, Ben Agati, said he was “very, very grateful for the jury” and their decision. He said it was a relief that they believed Kayla Montgomery who was the state’s key witness to the killing.

Kayla Montgomery admitted that she helped Adam Montgomery dispose Harmony’s body and lied to the police for two years.

Adam Montgomery’s defense tried to cast doubt on Kayla Montgomery’s credibility, arguing that she fabricated the story to implicate Adam Montgomery and avoid her own charges.

Defense attorney Caroline Smith said, “Kayla decided to lie about Harmony’s death to accuse Adam of something he did not do, to get herself out of her own problems.”

Agati countered that Kayla Montgomery had no reason to lie and that her testimony was consistent with the physical evidence and other witnesses.

He said, “You don’t have to like her to believe her. You don’t have to like what she did. You may have very good reasons for hating her, but that doesn’t change the fact that she saw the defendant beat Harmony to death," WCVB reported.

Harmony’s mother and foster mother react to the verdict

Harmony’s birth mother, Crystal Sorey, and foster mother, Michelle Raftery, were both present in the courtroom when the verdict was announced.

They both expressed their anger and grief over Harmony’s death and their satisfaction with the outcome of the trial, CBS News reported.

Sorey said, “He’s a coward. He’s a coward, he’s always been a coward. That’s why he did what he did.  He took her away from the people that loved her because he couldn’t hack that he didn’t have control."

"That’s all he cared about, control, everything in his life. She wasn’t anything to him,” she added.

Raftery said, “He deserves to rot in jail for the rest of his life. He deserves to suffer every day like Harmony did. He deserves to never see the light of day again.”

They both said they plan to attend the sentencing hearing and give victim impact statements.

Sorey said, “I hope that what he did plays over in his mind every single waking moment that he lives on this earth. And I hope that he never falls asleep without seeing her beautiful face.”

Adam Montgomery faces life in prison without parole

Adam Montgomery was also found guilty of second-degree assault, abuse of a corpse, falsifying physical evidence and witness tampering.

He faces a mandatory sentence of 35 years to life for the murder charge, which will run consecutively to his previous sentence of 33 to 67 years for being an armed career criminal.

Agati said, “It’s a lot of time when asked if Montgomery will ever get out of jail,” reported WCVB.

He said the sentencing date has not been set yet, but will likely be in March, April, or May.

New Hampshire Attorney General John M Formella stated after the verdict, “Today our thoughts are focused on the memory and legacy of Harmony Montgomery, a little girl who did not deserve the tragic fate that she suffered."

"Our hearts go out to Harmony’s family and all those who knew and loved her, and we hope today brings them some closure and peace," he added.

Harmony Montgomery was last seen alive in October 2019, when she was living with Adam and Kayla Montgomery in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Police learned of her disappearance in December 2021, when they received a tip from a relative. Despite extensive searches, Harmony’s body has never been recovered.