Harmony Montgomery murder: Dad accused of killing New Hampshire girl smiles in court as jury selection begins
Harmony Montgomery's remains have not been found, and she was last accounted for in November 2019
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The New Hampshire father accused of beating his 5-year-old daughter to death and hiding the murder for more than two years appeared in court Tuesday with a smile on his face as jury selection was underway for his trial.
Adam Montgomery pleaded not guilty in 2022 to charges he killed his daughter Harmony Montgomery and spent months moving her body before disposing of it.
He allegedly pummeled the girl in the head with a closed fist on Dec. 7, 2019, according to New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, "recklessly causing the death of Harmony Montgomery, a person under 13 years of age, under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference in the value of human life."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jury selection for Adam Montgomery's murder trial began on Tuesday morning, in a Manchester, New Hampshire courtroom.
FATHER OF SLAIN NEW HAMPSHIRE GIRL ORCHESTRATED SAVAGE PLOT TO HIDE HEINOUS CRIME: PROSECUTORS
Adam Montgomery enters the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, New Hampshire on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. Montomgery is accused of killing his 5-year-old daughter, Harmony. (David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL)
Photos of the court proceeding showed Montgomery being ushered into the room while smiling with his tongue out.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FOX 25 in Boston reported that Judge Amy Messer asked Montgomery before the jury selection process if he wanted to waive his right to wear a leg brace and instead be shackled.
"I was surprised this morning that you preferred not to wear the leg brace, and you wanted to wear the leg shackles," Messer reportedly said to Montgomery.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Adam Montgomery enters the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, New Hampshire on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. (David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL)
"That’s correct," the defendant responded.
"The shackles may be evident to the jurors," Messer said. "Do you understand that?"
Montgomery responded, "I do."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}HARMONY MONTGOMERY MURDER: MISSING NH GIRL'S STEPMOTHER TOLD DETECTIVES FATHER KILLED 5-YEAR-OLD
Adam Montgomery stands with his lawyers Caroline Smith and James Brooks as they await potential jurors to enter the courtroom for jury selection ahead of his murder trial at Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester, New Hampshire on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. Montgomery is accused of killing his 5-year-old-daughter, Harmony. (David Lane/UNION LEADER POOL)
The judge and attorneys from both sides spent hours going through 120 potential jurors in order to chop the number down to 27, the station reported. Before opening statements begin on Wednesday, that number should be cut down even further to 12 plus five alternates.
Montgomery is fighting evidence that prosecutors say shows him buying 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 Harmony’s remains in an unknown location outside Boston.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The defense wrote in court filings that there is no evidence that lime is a unique purchase connecting Montgomery to the murder.
Adam Montgomery, Harmony's father, allegedly pummeled the little girl in the head with a closed fist on Dec. 7, 2019. (Manchester Police)
Investigators say the Montgomery family was homeless and living in a car at the time of Harmony’s suspected murder, and after the event, Montgomery allegedly kept his daughter’s remains in a cooler and duffle bag. He then transported them between temporary housing locations and finally disposed of her.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Montgomery’s now estranged wife, Kayla Montgomery, who is Harmony’s stepmother, told police her husband believed the lime would help Harmony’s body decompose without being discovered, prosecutors allege in court documents.
In January of last year, Formella obtained a grand jury indictment on second-degree murder charges.
According to the criminal complaint, Montgomery is suspected of killing the girl with repeated punches to the head.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
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.
Harmony's remains have not been found.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.