GUILTY MN - Heidi Firkus, 25, fatally shot, St. Paul, 25 Apr 2010 *husband arrested 2021*

[Niner]

Thursday, April 13th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 1:30pm CT) - MN – Heidi Marie Erickson Firkus (25) (April 25, 2010, shot in back & died, St. Paul) & husband Nicholas James Firkus (27) (shot in leg by alleged intruder) - *Nicholas James Firkus (27 @ time of crime/38/now 40) arrested (5/19/21), charged (5/20/21), indicted (9/3/21) & arraigned (10/12/21) with 1st degree murder (premeditated) & 2nd degree intentional (not premeditated) murder. Plead not guilty. $3M bond or $1M on condition of surrendering passport & not leaving Minnesota. Posted non-cash bond ($1M) & released. Plead not guilty.
Trial began on 1/23/23 & ended 1/27/23 with jury selection. Jurors: 7 women & 8 men.
Trial began on 1/27/23. Prosecutors rested their case on 2/9/23. Defense began their case on 2/9/23 & rested on 2/9/23. Closing arguments on 2/10/23 & jury started deliberations in mid-morning to the end of the evening (about 4 hours) & found Firkus guilty of all charges. Sentencing on 4/13/23. Because of overcrowding issues, he is heading immediately (2/10/23) to a DOC facility & not the Ramsey County jail.
Case & court info from 5/19/21 to 1/13/23 & Jury selection Days (1/23 to 1/27/23) & Trial Day 1-10 (1/27 to 2/9/23) reference post #210 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...5-st-paul-25-april-2010-arrest.103352/page-11
2/10/23 Friday, Trial Day 11: Closing arguments by prosecutor Rachel Kraker & defense attorney Robert Richman. Jury given instructions & sent out to deliberate. Before Friday's deliberations began, defense lawyers argued that prosecutors had not provided sufficient evidence to find Firkus guilty & they asked Judge Leonardo Castro for an acquittal, which the Judge denied. Jurors deliberated for about 4 hours & Firkus was found guilty on one count each of 1st degree premeditated murder & 2nd degree intentional murder. His sentencing hearing is set for 4/13/23.
for more info see post #213 here:
https://www.websleuthscom/forums/th...5-st-paul-25-april-2010-arrest.103352/page-11
2/13/23: Notice of Visual or Audio Coverage (#131, 132 & 133). eService (State: 12; Firkus: 3). Court Clerk Minutes (#134). Notice of appearance (#135). Order-Presentence investigation (#136) Judge Leonardo Castro. Verdict (#137 & 138). Prospective juror list (#139). Juror profile list (#140). Conditions, other; hold without bail or bond to Ramsey County Adult Detention Center. Exhibit List (#141). 2/16/23: Exhibit List (#142). 2/21/23 Order regarding visual or audio coverage (#143) Judge Leonardo Castro. 2/21/23: eService (State: 8; Firkus: 2). Order for temporary commitment (#144).
3/1/23: To Dept. of Corrections to return. Notice of visual or audio coverage (#145). eService (State: 4; Firkus: 1). 3/2/23: Notice of visual or audio coverage (#146 & 147). eService (State: 8; Firkus: 2). 3/9/23: Notice of visual or audio coverage (#148). eService (State: 4; Firkus: 1). 3/14/23: Notice of visual or audio coverage (#149). eService (State: 4; Firkus: 1).
4/5/23: Presentence investigation report (#150). Proposed order or document (#151). eService (State: 4; Frikus: 1). 4/7/23: Exhibit list (#152). 4/10/23: Exhibit Lists (#153 & 154). Sentencing hearing on 4/13/23 @ 1:30pm.

 

[kittycat3]

Life in prison! No parole. Also a lot of evidence was just released to the public including 911 calls & police interview.

 

[Megnut]

Nick Firkus sentenced to life in prison in 2010 murder of wife Heidi

The crime occurred in 2010, but the case went cold for more than a decade and Nick Firkus wasn't charged until May 2021. In 2010, he told police someone broke into their St. Paul home, took his shotgun and killed his wife.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Megnut]

 

[kittycat3]

Two hour 2020 special on this coming Friday!!!!! I can’t wait to see it! Thanks Megnut!

 

[kittycat3]

Did anyone watch? I have to admit I was very impressed w Rachel Firkus. She has a lot of courage and tenacity. I’m not sure his conviction could have occurred without her help.

 

[KMouse]

Did anyone watch? I have to admit I was very impressed w Rachel Firkus. She has a lot of courage and tenacity. I’m not sure his conviction could have occurred without her help.

It was good. I don't understand this guy. Where was the money going that should have been going to a mortgage and taxes? There was no drug or gambling. Did they just overspend and it got away from them?
Very disappointed it took ten years for a trial and conviction. That poor family and then the wife and kids from the second marriage going through what they just went through.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Heidi died from a single shotgun blast to her back that her husband said she suffered as he wrestled with an intruder. Nick Firkus told police a man burst through their front door in the dawn hours of April 25. Moments earlier, at his request, Heidi had called 911 to report an intruder was breaking into their home.

"It never felt right. The story never made sense to me," Sipes tells "48 Hours" contributor Jamie Yuccas in "Death at the Front Door: Who Shot Heidi Firkus?" airing Saturday, Dec. 2 at 10/9c on CBS and streaming on Paramount+

When Sipes took over the investigation in 2019, she reviewed the entire case file and listened to the 911 calls made on the day of Heidi's death.

Did embarrassment of losing a home to foreclosure lead to murder?

Prosecutors say a man staged his wife's death 24 hours before they were expected to be evicted from their home to save himself from shame.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Back in 2010, nine years before she took charge of the Firkus case, Investigator Nichole Sipes of the St. Paul Police Department was a patrol cop who worked this neighborhood.

Jamie Yuccas: Do you remember first hearing about the Firkus case?

Sgt. Nichole Sipes: I do.

NICK FIRKUS (to 911): Ahh, please, please, somebody just broke in our house and shot me and my wife.
911 OPERATOR: OK …

It was early on a Sunday morning.

Sgt. Nichole Sipes: The 911 call was at 6:30

Heidi Firkus' fatal shooting captured on her 911 call to report an intruder

Heidi Firkus called 911 to report a burglar breaking into her home. Her husband later told police his gun fired while he struggled with the intruder, but something in Nick Firkus' story struck police as odd.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

I am quite late to this having seen a 48 Hours episode on it this past week. And I also viewed John Lordan’s “Justice for Heidi Firkus“ Brainscratch posted some four years ago. Based on the evidence presented, I am glad to see that the husband has been sentenced for the crime…… and let’s hope it isn’t needed and that is the end of it - but in case it isn’t…… seems a key clue on what the murdered wife might have known (or not known) could be this - I thought I heard mention of talk by the wife to friends before her death of a ‘short sale’ of the house prior to her murder? That tells me she wasn’t aware of the dire financial situation. I don’t think it would be easy to sell an overvalued overpaid house when mortgage payments were supposedly far in arrears. That suggests to me she was not aware….. and all was to come due quickly. And also seems that the now convicted husband was the reason.

And as I recall, the convicted husband before the murder was making mention of the supposed ‘safety’ concerns of the area for raising children (as a possible reason for wanting to move); but no apparent mention of the financial considerations? MOO

 

[savagewoman]

I am quite late to this having seen a 48 Hours episode on it this past week. And I also viewed John Lordan’s “Justice for Heidi Firkus“ Brainscratch posted some four years ago. Based on the evidence presented, I am glad to see that the husband has been sentenced for the crime…… and let’s hope it isn’t needed and that is the end of it - but in case it isn’t…… seems a key clue on what the murdered wife might have known (or not known) could be this - I thought I heard mention of talk by the wife to friends before her death of a ‘short sale’ of the house prior to her murder? That tells me she wasn’t aware of the dire financial situation. I don’t think it would be easy to sell an overvalued overpaid house when mortgage payments were supposedly far in arrears. That suggests to me she was not aware….. and all was to come due quickly. And also seems that the now convicted husband was the reason.

And as I recall, the convicted husband before the murder was making mention of the supposed ‘safety’ concerns of the area for raising children (as a possible reason for wanting to move); but no apparent mention of the financial considerations? MOO

Good points
Forensic accounting couldn't figure out where the money went to that should have paid the mortgage. Interesting - I just want to know.
Also apparently HF mentioned that they were victims of $180,000 identity theft

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Good points
Forensic accounting couldn't figure out where the money went to that should have paid the mortgage. Interesting - I just want to know.
Also apparently HF mentioned that they were victims of $180,000 identity theft

Thank you and yes! I can’t be certain, but I thought it was the slain wife HF just restating what her (now convicted) husband was saying to her then about the identity theft? I can’t quite recall. And I have only just recently tried to digest this whole case. MOO

 

[savagewoman]

Thank you and yes! I can’t be certain, but I thought it was the slain wife HF just restating what her (now convicted) husband was saying to her then about the identity theft? I can’t quite recall. And I have only just recently tried to digest this whole case. MOO

IMO
It was stated in 48 hours. I'm in the suburbs of the cities and recall this tragedy when it happened. I assumed the hubby did it or the intruder but didn't see any rumors in the media until the arrest.