Investigation Reveals New Details in 2010 Murder Case
After years of investigation, new evidence has emerged in the 2010 murder case of Heidi Firkus. Heidi, who was 25 years old at the time, was tragically shot and killed during a burglary at her home in Saint Paul, Minnesota. However, investigators now believe that the true culprit may have been someone who knew Heidi personally.
Desperate 911 Call
On the morning of April 25, 2010, Heidi made a frantic call to 911, reporting a break-in at her residence. During the call, she could be heard screaming before a loud noise, believed to be the fatal shotgun blast, cut off her pleas for help. Just 65 seconds later, her husband Nick dialed 911 from Heidi's phone to report that both he and his wife had been shot by an intruder.
Tragic Outcome
When emergency responders arrived at the scene, they sadly pronounced Heidi dead. Nick Firkus, who had sustained a gunshot wound to his leg, was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.
An earwitness
Investigators cordoned off the scene and spoke to neighbors. No one saw an intruder fleeing from the Firkus house that morning. A witness, who was house sitting kittens next door, told police he heard a muffled argument, then gunshots and a voice yell out, "you shot her, you shot me, please, please, no."
Nick Firkus' account
A few hours after Nick was treated at the hospital, he met with investigators at the police station to give his account of what happened. He described hearing someone fiddling with the front doorknob, grabbing his gun, waking Heidi up, rushing her down the stairs, and then having a confrontation with the intruder who gained access into the home.
The struggle
According to Nick, he and the intruder struggled with the gun. "So my finger slipped onto the trigger … she was running away, so I definitely hit her in the back," Nick told investigators. Shortly after that, he said he was shot and the intruder escaped.
Financial troubles revealed
Nick also revealed to investigators that he and Heidi were behind on their bills and lost their home. They were expected to vacate their house in 24 hours.
A suspect sketch
As the weeks went by, Nick provided a sketch of the suspect to investigators. They released it to the public but it did not generate any leads.
A new life
Investigators continued to work the case and Nick eventually started a new relationship. Two years after Heidi's death, he married Rachel Sanchez.
Breaking News: Major Development in Heidi's Case
A tip comes in
After five long years since Heidi's death, the police have received a crucial tip that could potentially solve the case. A tipster contacted the authorities claiming to recognize the person depicted in the sketch. However, investigators faced a significant setback when they discovered that the individual in question was already incarcerated on the date of Heidi's tragic demise. "He was already in prison on the date of Heidi's death," revealed Sgt. Nichole Sipes during an interview with "48 Hours."
A new set of eyes
In 2019, Sgt. Nichole Sipes took charge of Heidi's case. Collaborating with the FBI, she meticulously examined the case file and stumbled upon an intriguing detail regarding Nick and Heidi's financial situation. Sipes noted, "There was no communication between the two of them to indicate that she had any idea of the depth of their financial issues." The investigator strongly believes that Heidi was completely unaware of the impending foreclosure.
Nick Firkus' second wife speaks out
Investigator Sipes reached out to Rachel Firkus, Nick's former wife who had divorced him. Rachel disclosed that she decided to leave Nick after discovering his consistent failure to pay the bills, a pattern she claims also occurred during his relationship with Heidi. "He was definitely repeating the same things he did with Heidi with me," Rachel shared with "48 Hours."
Rachel Firkus' audio recordings
Rachel informed Sgt. Sipes that she confronted Nick about their financial problems and secretly recorded their conversation. She willingly handed over the recorded evidence to the police, hoping it would aid in the investigation.
Nick Firkus' arrest
Finally, on May 19, 2021, Nick was apprehended and arrested for second-degree murder. Subsequently, a grand jury indicted him on first- and second-degree murder charges, marking a significant development in the case.
The trial of Nick Firkus
Almost two years later, Nick went to trial. Prosecutors argued that Nick staged the burglary because he was desperate and ashamed about their financial issues. "… his lies are about to crumble. He would have been exposed as a complete failure ... and instead, he is a victim," prosecutor Elizabeth Lamin told "48 Hours."
A 3-D model
During the trial, prosecutors presented a 3-D model of the Firkus home, which was produced by the FBI, to demonstrate the size of entryway where the struggle occurred, and to prove how Nick's story was not reasonable. They also developed an animation of the crime to show how Heidi was shot.
Tool marks
Nick's defense lawyers, Joe Friedberg and Robert Richman, say Nick had no reason to kill Heidi. They say Heidi was fully aware of the foreclosure, and there was proof of the intruder.
"In fact, there were tool marks in the door, which would be consistent with someone wedging a screwdriver between the frame and the door," Richman said.
The verdict is in
On Feb. 10, 2023, after being on trial for 11 days, Nick was found guilty on two counts of murder.
Life in prison
On April 13, 2023, at Nick's sentencing hearing, he refused to accept guilt for Heidi's murder. "I do maintain and will maintain to my dying breath my innocence of this crime." The judge gave Nick a life sentence without parole. Nick is appealing his conviction.
