Judge sets bond for accused killer

By Abby Morris
Star Staff
amorris@starhq.com

   A Circuit Court judge set a corporate bond on Thursday afternoon for a man accused of murder in the 2002 death of a Unicoi County man.
   Judge Robert Cupp set a $50,000 corporate bond for Timothy Demery, 25, who was indicted on a first degree murder charge in the March 2002 death of David Harmon. Demery was previously held without bond.
   The judge issued the ruling after hearing arguments from the state and testimony by witnesses on behalf of Demery.
   The body of Harmon was found on March 14, 2002, and police arrested Demery and charged him on March 15 of that year.
   "Right now he's presumed innocent. He's entitled to a bond," said defense attorney Robert Oaks. "He grew up in Johnson City. He's not going to run. We think he's entitled to a reasonable bond."
   Demery's mother and sister spoke to the judge on behalf of Demery, relating his ties to the community. Both said Demery has a three-year-old daughter and that he is not a flight risk.
   Assistant District Attorney Ken Baldwin told the judge that he believed the nature of the crime warranted Demery being held in the custody of the court without bond.
   According to police, Harmon's body was found wrapped in a quilt and blanket in the bed of his truck parked at Clifton View Baptist Church in Johnson City. Police picked up Demery for questioning and charged him with first degree murder the next day.
   Carter County Sheriff John Henson told Star reporters at the time of Demery's arrest that investigators spoke with Demery who said he had called Harmon and asked him to come to his residence at 1990 King Springs Rd. to discuss money Harmon supposedly owed him.
   According to Henson, Harmon went to Demery's house and the two men fought, and Harmon was shot. "After the shooting, Demery loaded Harmon into the back of Harmon's truck and drove him to the church parking lot on Orleans Street in Johnson City and left him in the parking lot. He then called a cab and went to a residence in Jonesborough," Henson told the Star in March 2002.
   Baldwin told Cupp that Harmon was shot a total of 17 times -- 16 times with a .22-caliber rifle and the final shot with a .25-caliber pistol. Baldwin said the final shot with the pistol hit Harmon between the eyes, and forensic evidence showed there were powder burns on Harmon's face, indicating the shot had been fired at "point blank" range. "That last shot is just a plain old execution," Baldwin told Cupp.
   Cupp said Demery deserved a corporate bond, allowing the bonding company to track him and take him into custody if he fails to appear in court.
   Demery is scheduled to go to trial on April 26.