A former reality TV star who had a restaurant show on Oprah Winfrey’s network was sentenced to life in prison for a plot to murder his nephew, as well as conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for a $450K life insurance policy.
Nephew of reality TV star found murdered
Former reality star James “Tim” Norman and his 20-year-old nephew, Andre Montgomery, Jr., both appeared on the reality show “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s.” The show was centered on Robbie Montgomery, Norman’s mother, and the family’s soul food business, which was founded in the St. Louis area, BuzzFeed news reported.
The reality series aired for nine seasons, from 2011 to 2018, on OWN, Oprah Winfrey’s network, Law & Crime reported.
On March 14, 2016, 20-year-old Andre Montgomery, Jr., Norman’s nephew, was shot to death at 3964 Natural Bridge Avenue in St. Louis.
Prosecutors allege Norman conspired to kill his nephew
After years of investigation, prosecutors put together what they alleged happened: Norman conspired with other individuals to kill his nephew and collect a $450,000 life insurance policy.
Co-conspirators turn on Norman during trial
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Norman paid Travell Anthony Hill, a codefendant, $5000 and another co-defendant, Terica Ellis, $10,000 for their respective roles in the scheme.
Further, insurance agent Waiel “Wally” Rebhi Yaghnam also admitted to conspiring alongside Norman to fraudulently obtain a life insurance policy on his nephew before Montgomery’s death.
Hill pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit murder for hire and one count of murder for hire. He admitted to fatally shooting Montgomery after receiving a call from Terica Ellis.
Ellis pleaded guilty and admitted to providing Montgomery’s location to Norman and Hill.
Norman continues to deny involvement as found guilty
Last January, the co-conspirators in the case pleaded guilty and were sentenced. Ellis received three years in prison, while Yaghnam received the same sentence in November. In October, Hill was sentenced to 32 years for fatally shooting Montgomery with a .380-caliber handgun, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
In September, James Timothy Norman, 43, was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in Montgomery’s shooting.
In February, Norman wrote in a post on Instagram: “The feds 100% know I did not do those insurance policies. But the jury didn’t get to hear that. And not one person got on the stand and said that I told them to hurt my nephew. They destroyed my name and image so you guys wouldn’t search for the truth.”
Reality TV star receives life in prison for conspiring to murder nephew for insurance money
On March 2, 2023, nearly seven years after Andre Montgomery Jr. was murdered in a conspiracy spearheaded by his uncle James Norman, U.S. District Judge John Andrew Ross issued sentencing.
“The defendant is hereby committed to the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons to be imprisoned for a total term of: Life,” the order said. “This term consists of a term of life on each of counts one and two and 240 months on count three, all such terms to be served concurrently.”
“Tim Norman portrayed one image to the public, but there were more sinister intentions lurking underneath,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Angie Danis during the sentencing hearing. “And the measure of someone’s character is what they do when they think no one is watching. When he thought no one was watching, he planned the execution of his nephew and carried it out.”
