Eva Heisch, convicted of murder in death of Collinsville man, is sentenced to prison
Eva Heisch, the Missouri woman convicted of killing a 68-year-old Collinsville man in 2016, has been sentenced to 90 years in prison.
Heisch, 48, of Farmington, was found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery by a Madison County jury on Aug. 26. She was charged in the death of Daniel A. Taylor.
Her sentence was announced Wednesday by Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons’ office in a news release.
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, determined Taylor’s fatal injuries occurred during a robbery to his home. Evidence showed that Heisch and another man, Jessie J. Werley, 37, were acquainted with Taylor. Charges were brought against both.
According to the release, Taylor’s sister, Debra Valenti, gave a victim impact statement on her brother’s behalf, sharing that he was a kind man with a compassionate heart who would have done anything for Heisch. Instead, Valenti said, Heisch cruelly took the life of her brother.
Valenti looked Heisch in the eyes during the hearing and asked, “Why?” the release stated.
After being charged with the murder of Taylor, Heisch’s $1 million bail was revoked when prosecutors said she had been plotting another murder in police custody at Madison County Jail.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 the $100,000.
Heisch must serve 100% of a maximum sentence of 60 years for the first-degree murder charge, the release stated. She was also sentenced to an additional maximum of 30 years for armed robbery, of which she must serve 85%.
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