Jury selection starts for man charged with killing federal witness in 2014

Jury selection has begun in the federal trial of accused killer Price Montgomery, charged with murdering a federal witness and dealing heroin, along with one of his alleged lieutenants.

Montgomery, of Mount Washington, is under indictment on charges of killing Tina Crawford, one of his drug couriers.

She was on her way to meet with federal prosecutors when authorities say he gunned her down outside her home in the Hill District on Aug. 22, 2014. Her mother Patsy was badly wounded but survived.

Montgomery is also charged with numerous drug offenses as well as soliciting other inmates at an Ohio lockup to kill witnesses against him. James Perrin, indicted with him on drug and gun counts, is also on trial.

Jury selection before U.S. District Judge Mark Hornak is expected to take two days and the trial will last several weeks.

A man who prosecutors believe was the second shooter along with Montgomery pleaded guilty earlier this month to charges of ditching the getaway car in Virginia.

Glenn Thomas of Manchester, who is Montgomery’s cousin, pleaded to being an accessory after the fact in Ms. Crawford’s killing, but prosecutors have said in previous hearings that he participated in the murder.

Ms. Crawford had been making trips to pick up drugs from Montgomery’s supplier in Newark, N.J., according to wiretap evidence.

She was about to meet with Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Nescott about the operation when she was shot 10 times.