September 17, 2022
Sweetie Pie’s Star Tim Norman Found Guilty in Murder-For-Hire Trial For Nephew’s Killing
A jury deliberated for 17 hours and concluded that Tim Norman was the hitman who ordered his nephew Andre Montgomery’s execution in a murder-for-hire plot, KSDK reports.
Norman who is the son of “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” matriarch Robbie Montgomery, and starred in the popular OWN network show, will be sentenced for ordering his nephew’s death Dec. 15.
Norman was charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire — murder-for-hire resulting in death and mail fraud, the outlet reports.
In his own defense, Norman took the stand to debunk claims that he orchestrated the hit for a $450,000 insurance payout.
However, U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming said, “Within days of his nephew’s murder, Mr. Norman started the process of getting the insurance company to pay the claim.”
Norman’s attorney, Michael Leonard, argued a different stance, claiming that his client was a “concerned uncle and successful celebrity who hoped to confront, but not hurt, his nephew.”
As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, prosecutors made opening statements last Tuesday describing Norman as a reality TV personality “desperate” for money.
Both alleged co-conspirators pleaded guilty and implicated Norman for paying them thousands of dollars in the days after Montgomery’s death. Prosecutors used those statements and guilty plea agreements. Additionally, insurance agent Waiel Rebhi Yaghnam, who reportedly helped Norman with the policies before the killing, also pleaded guilty.
Defense attorneys Michael Leonard and Gloria Rodriguez who represent Norman were disappointed with the guilty verdict.
“We’re extremely surprised and disappointed in the outcome,” Leonard told reporters.
Leonard blamed the testimony of two witnesses, co-defendants Terica Ellis and Travell Hill, who he said were not credible due to their participation in the murder-for-hire scheme.
The prosecution relied on text messages, jail call recordings, location tracking, and money trails to prove that Norman hired Ellis, an exotic dancer, to bait Montgomery outside, where he was shot to death by Hill on Natural Bridge Drive.
Norman’s attorneys seemingly plan on appealing the case.
“Despite the verdict, he has a lot of optimism that we’re going to overcome this and ultimately prevail,” he said.
“His attitude is he’s an innocent man and he’s going to keep fighting and we are going to there right with him. You better believe we are going to keep fighting,” Rodriguez said.