Memphis woman charged in murder plot is denied bail
Terica Ellis, the Memphis woman arrested for her alleged role in the 2016 killing of Andre Montgomery in St. Louis, will remain in federal custody following a judge’s decision to deny bail.
A criminal complaint was filed against the 36-year-old mother of two in July that named her as a participant in a conspiracy to have Montgomery killed. She was arrested in Southaven, Mississippi, in mid-august. Prosecutors announced her charge on Aug. 18.
Montgomery was the nephew of reality television star James “Tim” Norman. Norman appeared alongside several of his family members in the hit show “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” that ran on the Oprah Winfrey Network from 2011-2018.
Magistrate Judge Charmiane Claxton, who presided over the Wednesday hearing, told Ellis she would stay in the custody of the U.S. Marshals, who would transfer her back to St. Louis County for trial.
Ellis, who is currently being held in a detention facility in Mason, Tennessee, did not speak during the hearing. Clad in an orange penitentiary-issued jumpsuit, with long braids and a white face mask, Ellis began weeping when it was clear she would not be released on bail.
St. Louis detective’s testimony paints picture of night of slaying
According to St. Louis-area detective Donald Thurmond, two pre-paid cell phones were used in the commissioned killing of Montgomery, who was 21 at the time of his death, and had just relocated back to St. Louis.
Ellis, Thurmond said, worked for a period of time as an exotic dancer at the St. Louis club Bottoms Up.
Thurmond said Ellis and Norman had known one other for a few years, and were physically intimate at times. Norman, Thurmond said, promised Ellis $10,000 for her help in “securing the location of Mr. Montgomery.”
“On the day of the murder, a text was exchanged. He texted her the address of her location, the location where he was ultimately found shot to death,” Thurmond said.
Thurmond said before the murder, Ellis was able to convince Montgomery to come outside of a residence located on Natural Bridge Road in St. Louis. Ellis had purchased a pair of pants for Montgomery, and he stepped inside of her car to talk.
It’s not immediately clear to the public what happened in the minutes after Montgomery left Ellis’ vehicle. But Montgomery was shot by an additional party, and Ellis left the area, Thurmond said.
Investigators were able to use tracker data for the devices, which is how they learned that Ellis immediately drove home to Memphis after Montgomery was killed.
Defense questions if Ellis knew Montgomery would be killed
Defense attorney Scott Hall made the case for his client’s release on bail in part by questioning Thurmond if Ellis did actually know Norman planned on having Montgomery killed.
According to prosecutors, Norman had taken out a total of $450,000 in life insurance against his nephew years prior to his death. It was possible, Thurmond said, that Ellis did not know about the life insurance policy.
“When you spoke with Ms. Ellis during her statement, did she ever indicate that she understood he would be killed?” asked Hall.
Thurmond said he did not recall Ellis confirming that she knew of Norman’s intention to have Montgomery killed.
During the hearing, it was revealed that Montgomery was a suspect in the theft of $200,000 in cash from Norman’s home. Thurmond said that Ellis understood Montgomery was a suspect in the theft of a large amount of cash from Norman, and knew Norman’s “boys” wanted to “get up on him.”
Ellis has no prior convictions on record that involve any level of violence, a fact Hall said should be considered when weighing the decision to keep her in custody.
Ultimately, Claxton said, Ellis might not have a violent history, and she might not have been the person who pulled the trigger and snuffed out Montgomery’s life, but “there was an opportunity to be helpful in the ensuing four years, and it was not taken.”