FOLLOW US

On Thursday, James Tim Norman, a former star of the St. Louis-based reality show "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's," was sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiring to murder his nephew and collect a life insurance payout.

During the hearing, Norman chose not to speak on his own behalf in regard to the March 2016 killing of his 21-year-old nephew, Andre Montgomery Jr., who had also appeared on the show. The reality show followed the family's soul food business in the St. Louis area. Norman's defense team presented several letters from relatives and friends, including Robbie Montgomery, Norman's mother, and founder of Sweetie Pie's restaurants, requesting for leniency.

“I don’t know whether Tim Norman did what he was accused and convicted of,” wrote Robbie Montgomery, who is also the victim’s grandmother. “He is still the baby that I bore, and I love him as every mother involved loves their child.”

How Tim Norman Lured his nephew

According to prosecutors, Norman had taken out a life insurance policy worth $450,000 on Montgomery and had him lured to a street in St. Louis, where another man shot him. Many of Montgomery's family members, including his mother Michell Griggs, had requested that Norman receive a life sentence. U.S. District Judge John A. Ross ultimately sentenced Norman to two life sentences calling it “a cold-blooded, incredibly premeditated, planned execution of your nephew.

In addition to Tim Norman, three others were involved in the murder-for-hire scheme. Travell Anthony Hill confessed to being the shooter and was sentenced to 32 years in prison in October. Terica Taneisha Ellis received a three-year prison sentence after admitting that Norman paid her $10,000 to locate Montgomery and give his location to Hill.

Insurance agent Waiel “Wally” Rebhi Yaghnam was also involved and sentenced to three years in prison for helping Norman fraudulently apply for insurance policies and file a claim on Montgomery’s life insurance policy. Norman was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit fraud in September.