Missouri woman found guilty of murder in death of Collinsville man in 2015
A Missouri woman has been convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery for the death of a 68-year-old man four years ago.
Eva Heisch, 48, of Farmington, Missouri, was charged in connection with the death of Daniel A. Taylor on June 27, 2016. According to a news release from Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons’ office, the trial began Tuesday and ended Monday.
On Dec. 8, 2015, Collinsville police responded to Taylor’s home in the 600 block of Ostle Drive after receiving a request for a welfare check. There, they found Taylor dead with a neck laceration and multiple stab wounds. The preliminary investigation suggested he had been dead for at least 48 hours.
The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis was activated to investigate and, after a week, it determined that Taylor’s fatal injuries occurred during a robbery to his home. Evidence had showed that Heisch and another man, Jessie J. Werley, 37, were acquainted with Taylor. Charges were brought against both.
After being charged with the Collinsville murder, Heisch’s $1 million bail was revoked after prosecutors said she had been plotting another murder in police custody at Madison County Jail.
According to a motion put forth by the prosecution, Heisch solicited a 67-year-old man to cash out his personal investments and bring $100,000 in cash to the jail to post her bond. Other inmates told officers at the jail that Heisch had planned to marry the man, use his medication to cause him to overdose and then take his money.
Gibbons said at the time that jail staff were able to intervene and warn the man, who had come to the jail with $100,000 cash to bail her out.
The trial against Heisch lasted five days, the release stated. The jury deliberated for two hours before returning a guilty verdict on both charges.
Heisch remains in custody at Madison County Jail in Edwardsville pending a sentencing hearing, which should happen in six to eight weeks, the release stated.
The maximum penalty for a murder conviction is 20 to 60 years in prison, of which Heisch must serve 100 percent. The maximum penalty for an armed robbery conviction is 6 to 30 years, of which she would have to serve 85 percent.
Werley pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in December 2017, and is serving a 40-year sentence.
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