A New Hampshire judge has approved the request made by Harmony Montgomery’s biological mother to declare the 5-year-old girl as legally deceased.
Crystal Sorey appeared at the Nashua District Court Monday, urging the judge to recognize Harmony as legally dead so that she can be appointed as the administrator of Harmony’s estate.
Sorey’s basis for considering Harmony deceased stems from the conviction of the victim’s father, Adam Montgomery, for second-degree murder. During his trial last month, Adam admitted to mistreating Harmony’s remains but claimed that he didn’t dispose of her and doesn’t know where she is.
“I’m Harmony’s voice, and I’m her warrior basically, so everything I do is for her,” Sorey said. “I can’t let people forget. I can’t only let those two people be held accountable because it’s not fair, it’s not true.”
On Tuesday, the judge approved Sorey’s request to assume the administrator role for Harmony’s estate. The decision will allow Sorey to pursue wrongful death lawsuits. The judge, according to NBC News, granted conditional approval.
Sorey’s attorney must still furnish a copy of the jury’s verdict against Adam Montgomery, along with a probate surety bond. The bond is intended to ensure that Sorey fulfills her obligations as the administrator in accordance with New Hampshire law.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Montgomery and Sorey had broken up by the time Harmony was born in 2014. Harmony lived intermittently with foster families and her mother until Sorey lost custody in 2018 over drug issues.
Subsequently, Montgomery gained custody of Harmony in early 2019. During court proceedings, Sorey said she last saw her daughter through a FaceTime call on Easter 2019.
Adam Montgomery, according to Sorey, blocked her calls afterward, blocked her from social media, and didn’t allow her to speak to Harmony.
It wasn’t until 2021 that New Hampshire police reached out to the New Hampshire Department of Children’s Services to locate Adam, but by December 27, 2021, the agency couldn’t find him. Police began searching for Adam Montgomery when they learned that Harmony “had not been physically seen since October/November 2019.”
In February 2024, jurors at the Hillsborough County Superior Court found Montgomery guilty of second-degree murder, second-degree assault, falsifying evidence, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with witnesses.
Throughout the two-week trial, prosecutors presented evidence that showed Montgomery beat Harmony, took opioids, and then ordered food at Burger King as Harmony succumbed to her injuries in the back seat of his car.
Upon realizing her death, Montgomery concealed her body for months. He stuffed her into a duffel bag and then a cooler. He later rented a U-Haul truck and discarded the victim’s body somewhere outside of Boston.
For nearly two years after, he said nothing and denied harming her, claiming that he returned Harmony to her biological mother.
During the murder trial, he refused to appear in court.
“He didn’t show up to anything. So, it’s only right he shows up to find out how long he’s getting,” Sorey said. “You think he would do one good thing for Harmony.”
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[Feature Photo: Harmony Montgomery and Crystal Sorey/Facebook]
