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Adam Montgomery, the New Hampshire dad accused of beating his daughter to death and hiding the slaying for more than two years, is fighting evidence that prosecutors say shows him buying chemicals and power tools that could have been used to dismember and hide a body.
In a defense filing last month, Montgomery's public defenders sought to prevent the prosecution from showing evidence that the 33-year-old bought 80 pounds of lime, a diamond-edged blade and a power grinder at two Home Depot stores about a week before he is accused of renting a U-Haul truck and dumping her remains somewhere outside Boston.
"There is no evidence that lime is such a unique purchase that would connect the purchases to the Montgomerys," the defense wrote in court filings.
Harmony Montgomery was reported missing two years after she was last seen. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
The family was homeless and living in a car at the time of Harmony's suspected murder, according to investigators. After the murder, Montomgery allegedly kept his daughter's remains in a cooler and dufflebag and transported them between temporary housing locations before finally dumping her.
Prosecutors countered Tuesday that the purchases are key circumstantial evidence.
HARMONY MONTGOMERY MURDER: MISSING NH GIRL'S STEPMOTHER TOLD DETECTIVES FATHER KILLED 5-YEAR-OLD
Adam Montgomery is awaiting trial on murder and tampering charges in the death of his daughter Harmony. Adam Montgomery is an ex-con and heroin addict. (Manchester Police)
"The evidence of purchases from Home Depot is relevant because it is circumstantial evidence connecting the defendant to an ATM withdrawal and lime that he purchased to further conceal and dispose of Harmony Montgomery's corpse," state prosecutors wrote in opposition to the defense motion.
His now-estranged wife Kayla Montgomery, Harmony's stepmother, told police her husband believed the lime would help Harmony's body decompose without being discovered, prosecutors wrote to the court.
Specifics of what she told detectives involve graphic conduct against a child.
Suspected Timeline:
- 2/22/2019: Massachusetts court grants Adam Montgomery custody of daughter Harmony
- 12/7/2019: Harmony beaten to death
- 2/20/2020: Montgomery moves family into new apartment
- 2/26/2020: Montgomery withdraws $500 from an ATM 22 minutes before a Home Depot purchase
- 2:27/2020: "Work order" placed to snake drain in Montgomery's bathtub
- Between 3/3 and 3/4/2020: Harmony's remains disposed of at unknown location near Boston
- 11/18/2021: Harmony reported missing
- 1/4/2022: Adam Montgomery arrested on suspicion of child abuse
- 10/24/2022: Adam Montgomery charged with murder
The girl's father allegedly kept Harmony frozen until he bought the first 40-pound bag of lime and returned to their new apartment to thaw her frozen remains out in a shower.
"While Kayla was not aware of whether the defendant used tools, she said that while the defendant was taking a break from his conduct in the bathroom, he disclosed to her that ‘he was going to try and like put her in pieces,’" prosecutors wrote. "She also reported that the defendant was attempting to ‘squish’ and ‘bend’ the corpse to create additional space in the bag so he could add lime."
A maternity tote bag and red cooler where Harmony Montgomery's remains were stored after her murder, according to an affidavit. (Hillsborough Superior Court )
The following day, according to prosecutors, he asked his landlord to send a plumber to snake the drain.
Prosecutors have also opposed two other requests from Montgomery's defense to suppress evidence of his prior "bad acts" and his estranged wife's testimony.
He is scheduled to go to trial over his daughter's murder on Feb. 7. He is also accused of falsifying evidence, abuse of a corpse and witness tampering.
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: Read the prosecutors' filing (Mobile users go here)
A new witness list was made public Wednesday, with almost 200 names on it, including dozens of police officers, Montgomery's relatives and forensics experts.
Montgomery has been in custody since the beginning of 2021 after his estranged ex-wife reported Harmony missing and Manchester police discovered she had been unaccounted for since 2019.
Law enforcement officials search areas off Route 107 as part of the investigation into the disappearance of 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery, who authorities allege was killed by her father. (Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
In January of last year, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella obtained a grand jury indictment on second-degree murder charges.
According to the criminal complaint, he is suspected of killing the girl with repeated punches to the head.
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The U-Haul police say Adam Montgomery used to dispose of Harmony's remains in March 2020. Her remains have not been found. (New Hampshire Superior Court)
Kayla Montgomery is also facing charges in connection with the girl's disappearance, including allegedly lying to a grand jury and collecting welfare payments on the missing girl's behalf for months after her death.
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Harmony's remains have not been found.
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