Investigators wanted a stronger case. Craig Heidt never took the stand. By Daily Mail Reporter Updated: 00:17 GMT, 9 January 2012. She knew he was lying to her, she says, especially when he said that he and Carey had patched things up before the shootings. Craig Heidt was convicted two years and four months after the crime by a jury of four men and eight women. There were no eyewitnesses. 'I know my child,' she said. He added that he was shocked by the revelation as 'every time you saw them together it was just like the perfect family'. On Dec. 1, 2010, the murder trial of Craig Heidt begins in the Effingham County Courthouse. 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It was updated on July 14.]. Craig Heidt is serving two life sentences plus 85 years on all 11 counts. Murder just didn't fit with the seemingly perfect family the sheriff knew so well too well for him to oversee the case, he decided. Effingham County Crime Breakdown. "I told him that I had feelings for him that were more than, you know, brother- and sister-in-law feelings and he said that he shared the same feelings," she told Spencer. US States (36975K) Current Events (51K) Celebrity (272) Exonerated . Chris says a shotgun would have to be held at a ridiculous angle to get those bruises and Craig knew betterbut in the heat of murder? Spencer asked, pointing to the middle of her upper arm. "Both of the men had similar entry wounds -- that is a shotgun wound to the face," Downs said of murder victims Philip and Carey Heidt. "I knew Philip ever since I came to the county back in probably '87, '88"the sheriff said. 'Were you holdin' a shotgun when your parents were killed,' I believe," he said. Asked what went though her mind when she heard those words, Linda Heidt told Spencer, "Oh my Lord, no way. Mrs. Smiths mother, 71-year-old Dorothy McClelland of rural Effingham, was pronounced dead that evening at St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital in Effingham. Linda was also shot, but she managed to survive, later making the 911 call for help. Marshals Service and the FBI Task. "Well, I'm not rejoicing," Robin said. In November 2011, Robin Heidt remarried and moved to Charleston, South Carolina, with her new husband and her three children. NBC's 'Dateline: Mystery in Effingham County' is an episode that explores the double homicide of prominent Georgian real estate developers and father and son, Philip Martin Heidt and Carey Albert Heidt, along with its baffling aftermath. In October 1980, two Urbana men discovered the naked body of a woman near the bridge. Effingham County Jail reported the following bookings: Effingham County deputies arrested Mason L. Parker, 34, Newton, Feb. 26 on charges of possession of hypodermic syringe, possession of drug . You have permission to edit this article. Effingham Police Chief Mike Schutzbach said it was unclear whether the fatal shots were fired from outside or inside the home. It was definitely not smart,' Robin told 48 Hours. Crime Map | Effingham County, GA Home Government Departments J - Z Sheriff Crime Info Crime Map Crime Map The crime map below is updated daily. Days later, while the couple was in Craigs cabin, they heard a low-flying helicopter, which Carey confirmed to his wife was to get proof of the liaison. I was really confused and I told Carey about it two weeks into the affair," Robin replied. Never mind that brother-in-law thing and never mind her three children who at that time were 10, 7 and 3 years old. Craig Heidt, the self-described "black sheep" of the family, was divorced, owed child support, was unemployed and lived off disability checks. The couple. "She's definitely responsible for Carey being in the home that night, 100 percent. ", "Can you be absolutely certain that it was not Craig? Only seven months after she'd planned to walk down the aisle to marry Craig Heidt, Robin Heidt instead walked to the witness box to testify against him. "Robbery wasn't the motive. Compared to neighboring county Bond and county Boone . We are no longer accepting comments on this article. "You had gasoline on your clothes?" If Carey was livin' happily at his house, he'd have never been at my mother and father's that night," he replied. In December of the following year, she was taken into custody again after failing to hand over her childrens Social Security amount to Linda, their maternal grandmother, who had temporary custody. Effingham County Sheriff's officals revealed details today about a 911 call placed from the scene of a triple shooting early Monday morning in which two people . ", "I wrote down in my journal that I knew what hell smelled likeGasoline and gunpowder," Linda told Spencer. Business people and friends all had similar words to describe Philip Heidt and his loss. "We heard a helicopter that sounded like it was very low," she said. "Where did you think this was gonna go?" "I felt like it was fair.". It used to be a popular spot for teens to get together to drink. Linda Heidt's injuries were such that it took six minutes for 911 operators to understand where help was needed. "Each of us had our own personalities.". Effingham County Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie announces the arrests of three people: the children's father Elwyn Crocker Sr., 49, their stepmother Candice Crocker, 33, and step-grandmother Kim. "The shooter comes to Carey first. On August 25, 2008, Philip and Carey were shot to death in their beds. I mean, and I was, like, 'I don't really care what people think. Murdered: Carey Heidt, pictured with his wife Robin, was shot by his brother as he slept at his parents' home, Family affair: Carey Heidt, left, was shot dead by his brother Craig, right, as he allegedly wanted to assume his life. "I wasn't comfortable with the relationship anymore," Robin testified. The killer had cut the phones lines and smashed a pane of glass in a door. Carey Heidt and Robin Seabrook Rast Caves love story is straight out of a storybook; well, the initial aspects of it at least. As per records, in August 2008, Philip confronted his daughter-in-law and allegedly got a little heated when she tried to walk away. Carey and Robin also got into a fight after he sent a low-flying helicopter to Craig's cabin near Oliver to gather evidence of the affair. According to an order of protection filed last month by his estranged wife Sharon, Jerry W. Smith had threatened to harm her on several recent occasions. The bruises, the affair, the lies and the missing items all were circumstantial. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. "Yeah, well, I was sitting on the floor so I knew they were wet.". Only hours into the Heidt murder investigation - as Linda Heidt fought for her life - the whispers began: Rumors that this seemingly perfect Southern family was anything but. Crime & Public Safety. Craig, who had failed to convince Robin to leave her husband, went on to murder his brother Carey and their father - while attempting to kill their mother - in an early morning shooting spree in 2008. A salary of $50,000 in Effingham, Illinois should increase to $50,315 in Carterville, Illinois . asked Spencer. "To have happened like that is truly impossible," Muldrew said. "There was two bruises on his right biceps and one on his left. Your login session has expired. Craig Heidt has always said he was innocent of the crimes. I know the heart he has. But after just six hours that changed. Maybe it was from hearing talk that was going on around me," she said. ", "No question you'd be bruised," Spencer noted. "But I feel like they have the right person.". I see hope. He had intended to light their home on fire as well but fled upon hearing the call. "It's the worst news you could get." "It was laughable," Muldrew said. Prosecutor Muldrew shows the video in court, telling the jury Craig could not possibly have gotten those bruises falling on a toilet. '"The only way I'm gonna have Robin Heidt and have peace is Momma, Daddy, and Carey have to be eliminated from the equation. JOSEPH RESSLER, JG-TC. Craig Heidt had also looked at land with a Realtor, saying he expected to have some money soon. When quizzed by officers, Robin admitted she was having an affair with her brother-in-law. NBCs Dateline: Mystery in Effingham County is an episode that explores the double homicide of prominent Georgian real estate developers and father and son, Philip Martin Heidt and Carey Albert Heidt, along with its baffling aftermath. Speaking to 48 Hours, she admitted she made the first move on Craig. Despite her husband and children, who were 10, seven and three at the time, she continued the relationship. Effingham City Police Department Cpl. "Craig had entered the room-- put his hand on his mother's and said, 'Momthis is Craig.'" "It didn't do anything for Craig, his appearance of innocence for him to be staying there," said Linda. "Based on what I've seen at the scene, looking at the photographs, my estimate was something like two feet," he replied. Read further ahead to find out more details about the killer, Craig, and Philip and Carey's relationship with him. "Philip loved his family, his church and his community." Susan Spencer asked Robin Heidt. Craig Heidt: I am not having sex with Robin. "I definitely wasn't thinking about my children when I did it, how it would affect them," said Robin. EFFINGHAM COUNTY, IL 3 DAYS AGO The Sheriff's Office and GBI investigators worked around the clock in those first days, with long days for months thereafter. "When I looked at him, I just felt disgust, disgust at the affair, disgust at just him period," said Robin. A shotgun, boots and a gas can -- all missing, all possibly related to the crime and all tied to Craig Heidt. Asked about the sentence, she told Spencer. The death of a father and son from a highly respected business family sent shockwaves across the community, generating massive media coverage. Among the 2017 arrests 11 were made for violent crime charges. Detectives arrived at a scene staged to look like a robbery, with smashed windows and strewn clothes. Three dead in double murder, suicide . The patriarch of a close-knit family, he was married to wife Linda for 42 years. Two years after the crime, Craig was convicted of the murders. Jerry Smith had a criminal record in Effingham County that included two convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol and one conviction for misdemeanor battery that had been pled down from an original felony charge of aggravated battery. The relationship got more intense, with Robin and Craig often sneaking off to an isolated hunting cabin. Craig Heidt is the son of Philip Heidt and the brother of Carey Heidt. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. A second man, Aaron M. Kaiser, 37, of Beecher City, was arrested and has been charged with concealing a homicidal death. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. "Had the officer asked about his shotgun? Based on those injuries and the pellets found at the scene, the medical examiner says the shooter used a 12-gauge shotgun; up close and personal. I didn't wish any harm on Carey or Mr. Philip or Miss Linda," she said. EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WCIA) The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced that a portion of I-70 will begin reconstruction on March 6. Asked if he had ever done that before, Robin said, "No.". Once inside, according to this scenario, Craig methodically went room to room shooting his brother, his father and his mother all for the love of Robin. Crime-focused news impacting Effingham County, Georgia and the surrounding area. But detectives found shells like those used in the slayings inside his truck. The married pair went to counseling, and soon, their entire family found out, leading to high heat and rising tensions. For Muldrew, the key to the case against Craig is, quite literally, a key. Craig Heidt was tried by an Effingham County jury and convicted of the killings of his father, Philip Heidt, and brother, Carey Heidt. "I just, I was just in shock". "Yes, I have," Linda said. "I was convinced he was innocent and that he was being treated unfairly.". A passionate hunter, he lived in a secluded cabin in a hunting club near Oliver. "I think they are very consistent with someone who has fired a shotgun," testified Dr. James Downs. Asked if she was head over heels in love, Robin told Susan Spencer, "I was infatuated, not love.". It was Carey who followed his dad into real estate, becoming his business partner. Effingham City Police arrested 34 year old Zachary D. Tegenkamp. "That was the plan, the future plans," she replied. ", "It did not," she replied. The couple fell in love and got married soon after. Stressful start to National Offer Day? Rumors About Gregg Smart's Murder Spread at the Local High School. "He knew that something was wrong with me and that I wasn't acting like myself.". Carey was married to Robin, with whom he shared three children. "At some point, and I don't remember where that was atit was like 'Oh my God, that's gotta be Philip's house.'". He also believes multiple shooters were involved. And then, four months after the murders, Craig Heidt moved in with his brother's widow and their three kids. 0. "And he's looked me right straight in the eye, and said, 'No, momma, I did not do this. "Were the brothers very different?" Gary B. Schmitt, an Effingham man who murdered his father in 2010 and attempted to murder two others in 2011, has been charged with aggravated battery as a result of . They all took a single bullet from a shotgun to their face, with Craig Heidt serving as the triggerman. When her father-in-law Philip discovered the situation, there was a family fallout. 'But he did not tell me who it was with.'. MUGSHOTS.COM IS AN AGGREGATOR OF THE TODAY'S CRIME NEWS. / CBS News, Produced by Paul LaRosa, Michelle Feuer and Cassandra Marshall "He wanted his brother's life," Muldrew told jurors. Robin Heidt's "mistake" was having an affair. Please logout and login again. According to the protection order request, the threats had become more graphic in recent months. There was no fingerprints. Wed, Apr 20, 2011 60 mins A teenage mom and her circle of friends become involved in a strange murder case in California. "As a mother, I could not sacrifice the son that was killed and my husband that was killed to protect another son if I really thought that that son did that," Linda told Spencer. He has become, for all practical purposes, Carey Heidt. According to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, a majority of Effingham county court records are open and accessible to the general public. "You're two feet away, my goodness. If Carey was livin' happily at his house, he'd have never been at my mother and father's that night,' Craig and Carey's brother Chris told the CBS show. The Mystery of Effingham County Publicly they were a prominent family highly respected for their success. A few weeks before he died, Carey Heidt changed his $3.5 million life insurance policy, removing Robin as the beneficiary. Be the first one to comment on this story. McDuffie did, however, within three days of the deaths let the public know it was believed they had no reason to be afraid -- in other words, the Heidts were the target. Other 08/13/2021 6:34 AM 123 SESAME ST. Other 08/13/2021 6:34 AM 124 CONCH ST. Other 08/13/2021 6:34 AM 42 WALLABY WAY. The upcoming episode of Oxygen's Dateline: Secrets Uncovered delves deep into the shocking deaths of a father and son from a prominent business family in Effingham County in 2008. Local news, sports and entertainment when you want it. Craig Heidt, Carey Heidt's brother, has been charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of his father and brother. It's evidence, Bonds says, that father and son actually were making peace. "Everyone was very upset, very on pins and needles, not knowin' what to say or what to do or how they could help," Linda Heidt told Spencer. "There were three victims shot, each with a single shotgun blast," Medical Examiner Dr. James Downs explained. I know the man he is. "Well, are you going to arrest her?" Spencer asked. I mean, there has to be a part of you that was heartbroken over this," said Spencer. "Two life terms plus 85 years? Carey Heidt was a young father of three and worked with his father at a real estate office in Rincon. "it just took off from there". Violent Crime Rates. Philip Heidt, 59, and his son, Carey Heidt, 32, were shot to death in their beds. She then went home, where she and husband Carey had a nasty argument. Questions remain over the involvement of Robin in the deaths, with many Effingham County residents calling for her arrest. "Carey and I met in high school our senior year in English class," said Robin. "I know I didn't do anything. Pattison is a cousin of the kids' father, Elwyn. It turned into a gruesome discovery: the bodies of two children found buried in their own backyard. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Watch Dateline: Secrets Uncovered - The Mystery of Effingham County on June 1, 2022 at 8 pm ET on Oxygen. "So I had a few drinks there and ended up staying that night," she explained. I know the heart he has. Crime Map for Effingham County, GA. Crime Map. The comments below have not been moderated. "'The only way I'm gonna have Robin Heidt and have peace is Momma, Daddy, and Carey have to be eliminated from the equation.' . "He knew where that key would've been located. With numerous rumors about the killer floating around the community, the police finally uncovered the truth that shocked the entire nation nine months after the crime: Philip and Carey were killed by one of their own family members. A judge sentenced him to two life terms in prison, along with an added 85 years. 'But I don't really worry about what people say.'. And I know that God's forgiven me," Robin replied. "I see life. They had values and they believed in each other. "he told me when we were married that we were gonna be married for life.". Robin and Craig got a rude awakening the next morning. July 14, 2012 / 10:55 PM Beason murders. To get an idea of the damage a 12-gauge shotgun does at such close range, "48 Hours" asked the sheriff's firearms instructor, Ed Myrick, to demonstrate using the same model shotgun, the same type of buckshot and the same three-inch shell used by the killer. "I did 'cause the Craig Heidt that I know couldn't commit such an act," she replied. 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