MANCHESTER, N.H. — Editor's note: The video attached to this story was published Oct. 24.
The father of Harmony Montgomery pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a second-degree murder charge alleging that he killed the 5-year-old in 2019 by repeatedly striking her in the head with a closed fist, according to court paperwork filed by his New Hampshire attorneys.
Adam Montgomery, 32, also pleaded not guilty to falsifying physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and witness tampering in the death of his daughter.
He waived his arraignment, which had been scheduled for Tuesday. His lawyers didn't respond to a message seeking comment.
The New Hampshire attorney general's office and Manchester police held a news conference Monday to announce the charges.
Adam Montgomery has been in jail since January on charges related to Harmony's well-being. He awaits trial next month on weapons theft charges. He's pleaded not guilty in those cases.
Police first became aware that Harmony might be missing when they received a call from her mother in November 2021. She had been trying to locate the girl for months, police said. Adam Montgomery, who had custody of Harmony, told police that he brought her to live with her mother in Massachusetts around Thanksgiving 2019.
The case became a homicide investigation in August. Authorities said they believed Harmony was killed in Manchester in early December 2019.