Sweetie Pie’s Tim Norman Pleads Not Guilty in Nephew’s Murder

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James Timothy Norman, former reality star of OWN’s Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s has pleaded not guilty in connection to the murder of his nephew.

Norman, who was accused of orchestrating the 2016 murder-for-hire of Andre Montgomery Jr., entered the plea in federal court on Tuesday. The reality star’s defense attorney John Rogers stated that Norman is not likely a flight risk and requested that Norman be released to stay with his mother, the former reality show star Miss Robbie. However, Federal Chief Magistrate Judge Nannette Baker has not decided if Norman will be held in custody while awaiting trial.

Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s star, Miss Robbie shared her struggle with her grandson’s death on the reality show in 2016. Walking alongside her son, Norman, in St. Louis, the two reminisced about Montgomery after his untimely murder.

Two other people were charged in connection to the murder. According to TMZ, Norman took out a $450k life insurance policy on his nephew in 2014. He allegedly hired a woman he dated named Terica Ellis to execute the murder. Ellis allegedly knew Montgomery through her past work as an exotic dancer.

Norman and Ellis spoke with each other days before the murder, and officers claimed that they were able to locate her phone near the scene of the crime at the time of Montgomery’s murder on March 14, 2016.

Ellis allegedly contacted Norman after Montgomery’s murder and then fled town. Shortly after that, while Ellis deposited $9k in cash into various bank accounts, Norman reportedly contacted the life insurance company to collect on Montgomery’s policy.

Enter the third person charged in connection to the murder — Waiel “Wally Yaghnam, Norman’s life insurance agent and a former hip-hop producer. Yaghnam, 42, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud in the case. He’s also accused of providing falsifying information on insurance policies.

Norman was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, or murder-for-hire resulting in death. He also faces a charge of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.