The death of a father and son from a highly respected business family sent shockwaves across the community, generating massive media coverage. "Well, I'm not rejoicing," Robin said. ", "We got along well. Among the 2017 arrests 49 were made for violent crime charges. The married pair then got into an argument, and he left to spend the night at his parents. Over the next few days when talking with police at the crime scene, Craig made several more startling statements. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Dateline: Secrets Uncovered takes a look at some of the most mysterious crimes in recent history. Effingham County Crime Breakdown. 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. ", "I wrote down in my journal that I knew what hell smelled likeGasoline and gunpowder," Linda told Spencer. Even today, some jurors aren't sure. Effingham County, IL Arrest Records What are Effingham County Arrest Statistics? "This one right hereis about 48-to-50 pounds of pressure on your shoulder of recoil. In her request for the protection order, Sharon Smith outlined a pattern of alleged abuse that had been, she said, occurring for an extended period of time. Prosecutors had painted a picture of a man desperate to steal his brother's life. "But he did not tell me who it was with.". "How did you expect this was going to be resolved?". People wondered whether there was a killer loose on the streets of Effingham County. "Do you think the family has forgiven you? This can't be happening. Pattison is a cousin of the kids' father, Elwyn. Therefore, today, in his mid-50s, Craig Heidt is incarcerated at the maximum-security Georgia State Prison in Reidsville. "That was the plan, the future plans," she replied. "It did not come in my mind right away. . Brother Chris Heidt was not laughing then or now. 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The Sheriff's Office and GBI investigators worked around the clock in those first days, with long days for months thereafter. In his opening statement, Bonds told the court, "What shocked me was just the clear lack of physical evidence linking him to the murders. "I have. He also believes multiple shooters were involved. The charges included the two homicides, burglary, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, attempted arson, and three counts of possession of a firearm in a felony. Three dead in double murder, suicide . Juror #11: The way she threw him under the bus just, I mean, that told you right there, she just used him. There were three shots at the home that nightone that killed Carey, one that killed Philip and the one that wounded Linda. 'I know the man he is. The Heidt family was widely respected in Effingham and the murders shocked not just the community but the entire nation. According to Robin, theyd also talked about getting married, but she started having second thoughts just before he was arrested. Sager said the investigation was continuing for potential information that might help understand Jerry Smiths reasoning before the shootings. Effingham County had 486 arrests for the last 3 years, in 2017 the arrest rate was 412.96 per 100.000 population which is by 44.12% lower than the National average of 739.02 per 100.000 inhabitants. I couldn't do this.'". There was massive tension among family members during the days leading up to the horrific crime. The homicide investigation took a bizarre twist in March 2010 when the named suspect, Mr. Hollister, was arrested and charged with attempted murder of his wife, Rebecca Hollister. They resumed their involvement in December, and Craig had moved in by January. He was found guilty on all 11 counts, including malice and felony murder, although police have said they don't believe he was the one who pulled the trigger. MUGSHOTS.COM IS AN AGGREGATOR OF THE TODAY'S CRIME NEWS. He is taking his dead brother's children to school," Muldrew said. Mark Wahlberg and the Screen Actors Guild Awards are facing criticism after the Ted actor presented the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture to the cast of Everything Everywhere All at Once.People questioned the decision as the film's cast is predominantly Asian, and Wahlberg was convicted of assaulting two Vietnamese men in 1988. Daily News. The order was extended Friday, two days before the slayings on Willow Street. A garbled phone call to Effingham County 911 about 3 a.m. a decade ago began the unwinding of what the world would eventually learn was a twisted tale of murder and lust. 'He knew that his wife was runnin' around on him,' Sheriff Jimmie McDuffie told 48 Hours. 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? But Linda is convinced that her oldest son is innocent, denying suspicions that she secretly knows otherwise. 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. They had three sons, Craig, Chris, and Carey. He added that he was shocked by the revelation as 'every time you saw them together it was just like the perfect family'. "I didn't know finer men than Philip Heidt and his son Carey.". "Based on what I've seen at the scene, looking at the photographs, my estimate was something like two feet," he replied. In the ensuing trial, it was revealed that Craig was involved in an affair with Carey's wife, Robin. Bonds also contended that more than one shooter was involved. Inside Frogmore Cottage: Plush home Harry and Meghan have been 'evicted' from by King Charles boasts a roomy Mike Tindall's latest money-making scheme! Matt Sager, center, speaks at a press conference Monday related to the Sunday shootings in Effingham. In October 1980, two Urbana men discovered the naked body of a woman near the bridge. The violent murders, in which the men were shot from just two feet away, sent waves of fear around the close-knit community, where the Heidt family was well-known for their successful real estate business. Assault. "I can be certain that Craig did not do this to our family.". Asked if he had ever done that before, Robin said, "No.". Crime Type. Actually, he was the only one that did not have an alibi," Muldrew said. There were no eyewitnesses. "You were gonna get married to Craig. It turned into a gruesome discovery: the bodies of two children found buried in their own backyard. Candace Crocker, the stepmother, confessed to the murders of Mary Crocker and her brother, Elwyn "JR" Crocker Jr, who were found dead in shallow graves near a dog pen in Effingham County in December 2018, according to The Savannah Morning News. Asked if she could you identify the person, Linda told Spencer, "I didn't see a face or anything. The call came in about 8:45 p.m. City police were joined by Effingham County sheriffs deputies and Illinois state troopers at the scene, where they were met by numerous witnesses who had either heard or seen shots fired. Prosecutor Muldrew shows the video in court, telling the jury Craig could not possibly have gotten those bruises falling on a toilet. "But if you're maneuvering around something or in a hurry or whatever, you can also suffer bruises more toward the outside of your arm," noted Spencer. "Philip loved his family, his church and his community." "I know I didn't do anything. Linda was the mothershe's comin' outta the bathroom to see what's going on because she doesn't have a clue the left side of her face was extensively damaged and then the shot continued through her right shoulder. The couple. I was really confused and I told Carey about it two weeks into the affair," Robin replied. "Most people that saw it literally laughed at this reenactment he did. Evidence at the two-week trial showed Craig Heidt was having an affair with Carey Heidt's wife, Robin. "What did you take from that?" The mother-of-three was having an affair with her husband's older brother Craig, the self-proclaimed 'black sheep' of the family. He wanted the big house. As the whole county soon would learn, it was hardly the perfect family. "He lied about things he didn't even need to lie about. "That must've been something of a shock," said Spencer. Many in the public didn't understand the time required for a complex investigation. So Howard asked Craig to take off his shirt. "He wanted his brother's life," Muldrew told jurors. When Robin failed to hand over the children's Social Security payments on time, she spent two days in jail. Despite those assurances the community remained on edge and the rumors started to flow. . ", "It was very complicated, because Carey was very dead set against a divorce," Robin said. Be the first one to comment on this story. Get out of Effingham," Susan Spencer commented to Robin Heidt. 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. Today, life in Effingham County has returned to normal, or as near normal as it can be in a small community where so many suspicions linger. "he knew that his wife was runnin' around on him," McDuffie said. Spencer asked Linda. 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