Harmony Montgomery’s Father Gets Up to Life in Prison for Murdering 5-Year-Old Daughter: Reports
Adam Montgomery, 34, was convicted in the 2019 beating death of his 5-year-old daughter Harmony in New Hampshire
Manchester NH Police
Harmony MontgomeryThe father of 5-year-old Harmony Montgomery was sentenced to up to life in prison this week after being convicted of murdering her, according to multiple news reports.
On Thursday, May 9, Adam Montgomery, 34, was handed down the sentence, which CNN reports to be a minimum of 45 years up to life in prison. According to the Associated Press and The Boston Globe, Adam was sentenced to a minimum of 56 years. PEOPLE couldn’t immediately confirm the exact sentence.
A jury found Adam guilty in February of second-degree murder, second-degree assault, witness tampering, falsifying evidence and abuse of corpse, The Boston Globe, NBC Boston, and WMUR-TV previously reported.
Related: Harmony Montgomery’s Father Found Guilty of Murdering 5-Year-Old
He reportedly never attended his trial but was ordered to attend his sentencing, The Globe reports.
Prosecutors said Adam beat his daughter to death in December 2019 after she became incontinent in their car, PEOPLE previously reported. He then took her body around in a duffle bag all over Manchester, N.H., before using a U-Haul truck to dump her remains at an undisclosed location in March 2020.
Harmony’s remains have never been found and the girl wasn’t reported missing until November 2021, when her biological mother, Crystal Sorey, notified authorities, according to unsealed records previously reviewed by PEOPLE.
Related: Affidavit Details Last Moments of 5-Year-Old Harmony Montgomery's Life: 'I Think I Really Hurt Her'
Sorey shared a victim impact statement at Adam’s sentencing hearing, telling him, “My love for Harmony outweighs my hatred for you,” The Globe reports.
“I wish you nothing but pain and misery for the rest of your pathetic life,” she added, per the outlet.
Harmony’s stepmother, Kayla Montgomery, was also charged in connection with the case and testified against her ex, Adam, who she alleged beat her and forced her to lie to authorities about Harmony’s disappearance, CNN reports.
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She pleaded guilty in 2022 to perjury charges and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. However, the outlet reports, citing court documents, that she was released on parole in March.
Adam’s public defender, Caroline L. Smith, told the court on May 9 that her client is innocent, saying he "did not kill his daughter,” but did “inexplicable things” after learning of her death, The Globe reports.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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