Alex Omenye
A Minnesota judge sentenced Nick Firkus, 40, to life in prison without the option of parole on Thursday for the death of his wife.
This sentencing comes 13 years after police said he shot her over their financial troubles and lied to investigators that she was murdered during a home invasion.
Before the judge condemned her husband, Nick Firkus for his crimes, several of Heidi Firkus’ friends and relatives gave heartbreaking victim statements.
For years, Nick Firkus maintained his innocence and claimed her murder was the result of a strange home intruder.
However, investigators discovered no evidence to support his alibi or proof that he lied to his wife about their finances.
Elizabeth Lamin, the assistant district attorney for Ramsey County, Minnesota, said, “Every homicide is a deep tragedy. This case is particularly egregious not only because of what a wonderful person Heidi was but also how long frankly it did take to bring Nicholas Furus to justice,”
According to the audio from the conversation, Heidi Firkus called 911 on April 25, 2010, to report a break-in and then stopped talking when a gunshot rang out. Police discovered her body and her husband, who had been shot in the leg.
Nick Firkus told detectives that he and the intruder wrestled over a shotgun, which went off and hit both him and his wife.
Firkus allegedly informed investigators that the couple was suffering major financial difficulties and that they were about to be evicted.
For years, no suspects were named, and no one was arrested.
However, because there were anomalies in Nick Firkus’ statement, detectives were still looking into his role in his wife’s death.
The residence had no traces of a break-in, and only Nick Firkus’ DNA was found on the shotgun.
In May 2021, he was arrested and charged with first and second-degree murder. Prosecutors claimed Nick Firkus murdered his wife to hide the humiliation of their financial problems.
On February 10, after deliberating for 10 hours, a jury convicted Nick Firkus on both charges.
Heidi Firkus’ brother, Peter Erickson, slammed Nick Firkus during his impact statement.
Linda Erickson, the victim’s mother, became tearful throughout her remarks as she reflected on the years of life lost.
The counsel for Nick Firkus insisted that their client’s claim was true and that the break-in killed his wife.
Before the judge condemned him, Nick Firkus reaffirmed his allegations that he did not murder his wife.
“I do maintain and will maintain to my dying breath,” he reiterated
