ST. LOUIS — The Sweetie Pie’s star accused in a murder-for-hire plot in the death of his nephew is now back in St. Louis and is in federal custody.
On Aug. 18, James Timothy Norman, 41, was charged with conspiracy to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire resulting in death in connection with the March 2016 murder of 21-year-old Andre Montgomery. Terica Ellis, an exotic dancer from Memphis who investigators said was Norman's accomplice, was arrested and charged with the same crime.
Both were previously being held at Madison County Detention Center in Canton, Mississippi.
According to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Eastern Missouri, Norman had a virtual hearing on Sept. 15 but refused to appear on camera, so the hearing will have to be rescheduled. A date has not been set.
Ellis’ virtual arraignment was held on Monday. She will return to court on Sept. 25 for a contested detention hearing. A spokesperson said he was not aware of what Ellis was contesting.
Andre Montgomery's murder
Montgomery was killed by gunfire at 3964 Natural Bridge Avenue in the City of St. Louis on March 14, 2016 around 8 p.m.
The day Montgomery died, Norman and Ellis bought and activated temporary cellphones at the same store and then communicated on them all day. Court documents said Ellis also used the cellphone to communicate with Montgomery and learn where he was for the purpose of luring him outside.
Immediately after learning Montgomery’s location, Ellis placed a call to Norman.
Montgomery was then shot and killed.
Ellis’ phone location information placed her in the vicinity of the murder at time of the homicide. After the murder, Ellis called Norman and began traveling to Memphis.
In the days after the murder, Ellis deposited over $9,000 in cash into various bank accounts. On March 18, 2016, Norman contacted the life insurance company to try to collect on the life insurance policy he had obtained on his nephew.
