A New Hampshire court has overturned the murder conviction of Adam Montgomery in the death of his 5-year-old daughter, Harmony Montgomery. The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that the assault charge should have been severed from the murder charge and dealt with in separate trials.

Background of the Case

Harmony Montgomery was reported missing in 2021, and her father, Adam Montgomery, was found guilty of second-degree murder in 2024. He was also found guilty on charges of second-degree assault, witness tampering, falsifying physical evidence, and abuse of a corpse.

The court’s decision reignites one of the most disturbing trials in recent years, which involved drug abuse, domestic violence, false testimony, and a missing 5-year-old girl. The case also led to criticism of the Massachusetts judge who placed Harmony in Adam Montgomery’s custody in New Hampshire.

According to the prosecution’s sentencing memo, Adam Montgomery beat Harmony to death on December 7, 2019, and then engaged in the transportation and consolidation of her body over three months before disposing of her corpse on March 4, 2020. He then lied about her whereabouts for more than two years, according to prosecutors.

Reaction to the Ruling

The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said it was disappointed in the ruling and plans to retry Adam Montgomery on the murder charge. The office also noted that Adam Montgomery remains behind bars on a 43.5-year sentence related to other felonies and firearms offenses.

Pamela Phelan, the attorney who argued Adam Montgomery’s case before the appeals court, praised the decision, saying it addresses important aspects of a fair trial.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.