Shivangi Sinha
In 2016, when Andre Montgomery Jr. was fatally shot outside a St. Louis, Missouri, apartment complex, the high-profile nature of the crime garnered significant attention due to his status as a reality TV star. Police investigations revealed calls and texts on Andre’s phone from a burner phone linked to an exotic dancer, but she was missing. In the Investigation Discovery episode ‘On The Case With Paula Zahn’ titled ‘The Bitter Truth,’ The police work that went into finding Andre’s killer and their motivation has been thoroughly examined.
Andre Montgomery Jr. was Shot Outside An Apartment Complex
Andre Montgomery Jr. was born on October 14, 1994, to Michell Griggs and Andre L. Montgomery Sr. in San Diego. During his sophomore year, his family relocated to Lubbock, Texas, before settling in St. Louis, Missouri, where Andre completed his high school education at McCluer North High School. Known for his uplifting spirit and ability to bring joy to those around him, Andre had a deep passion for music. His and his family’s appearance on the ‘Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s’ show showcased their restaurant and propelled Andre into the spotlight as a TV star.
In 2015, following a burglary at the restaurant, Andre became a suspect because it was considered an inside job. His grandmother, Robbie Montgomery, told the police that it may have been him. Andre, who had moved away from St. Louis then, returned to cooperate with the investigation and alleviate his grandmother’s suspicions. Eager to prove his innocence, he willingly participated in interrogations and even underwent a polygraph exam. He passed the exam, clearing his name and eliminating any suspicions surrounding his involvement in the burglary.
On March 14, 2016, just days after being vindicated, the 21-year-old visited an apartment complex that doubled as a recording studio to tape a rap song he had made. As he was leaving, an armed assailant confronted him and fired at him multiple times. Despite attempting to flee back into the studio, Andre succumbed to his injuries and collapsed in the living room. By the time the police arrived at the scene, Andre had already passed away from the gunshot wounds.
Phone Records Helped in Catching Andre Montgomery’s Killers
With no indications of a robbery gone wrong, the police shifted their focus to Andre Montgomery Jr.’s phone to find out more about him. They uncovered that Andre had been communicating with an exotic dancer named Terica Ellis before his death, providing her with the address of the apartment complex just an hour before the shooting. Upon tracking Terica’s phone records, authorities noted frequent contact with three individuals on the day of the murder. One of these individuals was identified as Travell Hill, a known gang member. Further interrogations at the restaurant revealed that the common link connecting Andre, Terica, and Hill was Tim Norman, Andre’s uncle.
Norman had become acquainted with Hill through his frequent visits to the restaurant with his associates, while his familiarity with Terica stemmed from their encounters where he paid her for sexual favors. With the help of gathered evidence, including a timeline of events, the police pieced together the sequence of occurrences leading up to the murder. Approximately eight days before the incident, a Sweetie Pie’s worker had sent Norman a picture of Andre. Despite being in Los Angeles at the time, Norman swiftly traveled to St. Louis, where he met with Terica on the morning of the murder.
Norman and Terica procured two burner phones and orchestrated a scheme to track Andre’s location. Once they pinpointed his whereabouts, Norman swiftly contacted Hill and provided him with the information. Hill drove to the apartment complex and shot Andre. Four minutes after the murder, Norman contacted a friend and handed over $5000. Within 48 hours, he instructed the friend to deliver the money to Hill. Additionally, Norman paid Terica $10,000 for her role in the plot. The police, tracing the money flow, uncovered the motive behind Norman’s crimes.
Several months before the murder, Norman had deceitfully signed up as Andre for a life insurance policy, with the payout totaling $450,000, designating himself as the sole beneficiary. The GPS location of his actual phone matched the movement of the burner phone that was used to contact Hill and Terica on the day of the murder, and the police knew they had enough evidence against the perpetrators. In August 2020, Norman, along with Hill and Terica, faced the consequences of their actions when they were arrested for their involvement in Andre’s murder.
Tim Norman is Serving a Life Sentence Today
Throughout the legal proceedings, Tim Norman consistently maintained his innocence. However, before Norman’s trial in 2022, Travell Hill and Terica Ellis had already been convicted of Andre Montgomery Jr.’s murder. During Norman’s trial, both Hill and Ellis testified against him, alleging that he had paid them to carry out the murder. Despite the testimonies, Norman continued to assert his innocence. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire resulting in death and mail fraud.
In February 2023, Norman took to his social media platform to declare that he had not taken out any insurance policies and vehemently denied any involvement in his nephew’s death. Before his sentencing in March 2023, several family members, including Robbie Montgomery, sent in letters asking for leniency to be shown in his sentencing. Despite the requests, Norman was handed down two life sentences for the murder-for-hire charge and 240 months in prison for the charge of mail fraud. The 44-year-old is currently serving his sentence under the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Read More: Joseph George Sutherland: Where is The Killer Now?
