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Woman Convicted of Murder in Baby Death Case
| [September 30, 2008] Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom announced that Samantha Anne Heiges, age 22 of Coon Rapids, has been convicted of Intentional Murder in the Second Degree by a Dakota County Jury in connection with the killing of her newborn infant daughter on May 5, 2005. Heiges was acquitted of the lesser charge of Manslaughter in the First Degree (which was based upon the alternate theory that Heiges was coerced by threats to commit this crime). Heiges had previously acknowledged to Burnsville police that she gave birth in the bathtub of her Burnsville apartment and then drowned the baby. The infant’s body was later placed in the garbage at the apartment where Heiges was living at the time. Heiges told police that her abusive boyfriend, Erik Ryan Matlock, age 23 of Blaine, had threatened to kill her and the infant if she did not get rid of the baby. Another witness, however, claimed Heiges had told her in April of 2005 that she and her boyfriend planned to kill the baby after it was born and confirmed in May of 2005 that they had carried out their plan. Matlock, who was living with Heiges at the time of the infant’s death, has been charged* with Aiding an Offender (involving Murder in the Second Degree). His case is pending. |
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This page was last updated on: 07/01/2010
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