2 September 2020
Terica Ellis, the Memphis {woman|lady|female} {arrested|apprehended|detained|jailed} for her {alleged|supposed} {role|function} in the 2016 killing of Andre Montgomery in St. Louis, will {remain|stay} in federal custody following a judge’s {decision|choice} to {deny|reject} bail. A criminal {complaint|grievance|problem} was {filed|submitted} {against|versus} the 36-year-old {mother|mom} of {two|2} in July that {named|called} her as {a participant|an individual} in a conspiracy to {have|have actually} Montgomery {killed|eliminated}. She was {arrested|apprehended|detained|jailed} in Southaven, Mississippi, in mid-August. {Prosecutors|District attorneys} {announced|revealed} her charge on Aug. 18. Montgomery was the nephew of {reality|truth} {television|tv} star James “Tim”Norman. Norman appeared {alongside|together with|along with} {several|numerous} of his {family members|relative|member of the family}
in the hit {show|program} “{Welcome|Invite} to {Sweetie|Sweetheart|Darling} Pie’s “that {ran on|operated on|worked on} the Oprah Winfrey Network from 2011-2018. Magistrate Judge Charmiane Claxton, who {presided over|commanded} the Wednesday hearing, {told|informed} Ellis she would {stay in|remain in} the custody of the U.S. Marshals,
who would {transfer|move} her back to St. Louis County for trial. Ellis, who is {currently|presently} being {held in|kept in} a detention {facility|center} in Mason, Tennessee, did not speak {during|throughout} the hearing. {Clad|Dressed|Outfitted} in an orange penitentiary-issued {jumpsuit|one-piece suit}, with long braids and a white face mask, Ellis {began|started} weeping when it was clear she would not be {released|launched} on bail. St. Louis {detective|investigator}’s {testimony|statement|testament} paints {picture of|photo of|image of} night Montgomery was {killed|eliminated} According to St. Louis-area {detective|investigator} Donald Thurmond, {two|2} pre-paid {cell phones|mobile phone|cellular phone} were {used|utilized} in the commissioned killing of Montgomery, who was 21 at the time of his death, and {had|had actually} {just|simply} {relocated|moved|transferred} back to St. Louis. Ellis, Thurmond {said|stated}, worked for {a period of time|a time period|an amount of time} as {an exotic dancer|a stripper} at the St. Louis club Bottoms Up. Thurmond {said|stated} Ellis and Norman {had|had actually} {known|understood} {one other|another} for {a few|a couple of} years, and were physically intimate {at times|sometimes}. Norman, Thurmond {said|stated}, {promised|guaranteed|assured} Ellis$ 10,000 for her {help|assistance|aid} in”{securing|protecting} the {location|place|area} of Mr.
Montgomery.””On the day of the murder, a text was exchanged. He texted her the address of her {location|place|area}, the {location|place|area} where he was {ultimately|eventually} {found|discovered} shot to death,”Thurmond {said|stated}. Thurmond {said|stated} {before|prior to} the murder, Ellis {was able to|had the ability to} {convince|persuade|encourage} Montgomery to come {outside of|beyond} {a residence|a home|a house} {located|situated} on Natural Bridge {Road|Roadway} in St. Louis. Ellis {had|had actually} {purchased|bought|acquired} {a pair|a set} of {pants|trousers} for Montgomery, and he stepped {inside of|within} her {car|vehicle|automobile|cars and truck} to talk. It’s not {immediately|instantly|right away} clear to {the public|the general public}
what {happened|occurred|took place} in the minutes after Montgomery left Ellis'{vehicle|car|automobile|lorry}. {{But|However} Montgomery was shot by {an additional|an extra} {party|celebration}, and Ellis left the {area|location}, Thurmond {said|stated}.|Montgomery was shot by {an additional|an extra} {party|celebration}, and Ellis left the {area|location}, Thurmond {said|stated}.} {Investigators|Detectives|Private investigators} {were able to|had the ability to} {use|utilize} tracker {data|information} for the {devices|gadgets}
, which is how they {learned|discovered|found out} that Ellis {immediately|instantly|right away} drove {home|house} to Memphis after Montgomery was {killed|eliminated}. Defense for Ellis {questions|concerns} whether she {really|truly|actually} {knew|understood} Montgomery would be {killed|eliminated} {Defense attorney|Defense lawyer} Scott Hall made the case for his {client|customer}’s release
on bail in part by questioning Thurmond if Ellis did {actually|really|in fact} {know|understand} Norman {planned on|intended on} having
Montgomery {killed|eliminated}. According to {prosecutors|district attorneys}, Norman {had|had actually} {taken out|gotten|secured} {a total|an overall} of$450,000 in life {insurance|insurance coverage} {against|versus} his nephew years prior to his death. It was possible, Thurmond {said|stated}, that Ellis did not {know|understand} about the life {insurance|insurance coverage} policy.”When you {spoke with|talked with|talked to|spoke to|consulted with} Ms. Ellis {during|throughout} her {statement|declaration}, did she ever {indicate|suggest|show} that she {understood|comprehended} he would be {killed|eliminated}?”asked Hall. Thurmond {said|stated} he did not {recall|remember} Ellis {confirming|verifying|validating} that she {knew|understood} of Norman’s {intention|objective|intent} to {have|have actually} Montgomery {killed|eliminated}. {During|Throughout} the hearing, it was {revealed|exposed} that Montgomery was a suspect in the theft of$200,000 in {cash|money} from Norman’s {home|house}. Thurmond {said|stated} that Ellis {understood|comprehended} Montgomery was a suspect in the theft of {a large|a big} {amount|quantity} of {cash|money} from Norman, and {knew|understood} Norman’s”{boys|young boys|kids}”{wanted to|wished to}” get up on him.” Ellis has no {prior|previous} convictions on record that {involve|include} any level of violence, {a fact|a truth|a reality} Hall {said|stated} {should|ought to|must|need to} be {considered|thought about} when weighing the {decision|choice} to keep her in custody. {Ultimately|Eventually}, Claxton {said|stated}
, Ellis {might|may} not have a violent history, and she {might|may} not {have|have actually} been the {person|individual} who {{pulled the trigger|shot} and snuffed|snuffed and pulled the trigger} out Montgomery’s life, {but|however} “there was {an opportunity|a chance} to be {helpful|useful|valuable|practical|handy} in the {ensuing|occurring|taking place} {four|4} years, and it was not taken.”Source: commercialappeal.com