A Minnesota judge sentenced a man to life in prison without parole Thursday for the death of his first wife, 13 years after police said he s...
A Minnesota judge sentenced a man to life in prison without parole Thursday for the death of his first wife, 13 years after police said he shot her over their financial troubles and lied to investigators that it happened during a home invasion.
Several of Heidi Firkus’ friends and family gave emotional victim statements before the judge sentenced her husband Nick Firkus, 40, for his crimes. For years, Nick Firkus maintained he was innocent and that a mysterious home intruder was involved in her death. However, investigators found there was nothing to back up his alibi and found evidence that he lied to his wife about their debts.
“Every homicide is a deep tragedy. This case is particularly egregious not only because of what a wonderful person Heidi was but also how long frankly it did take to bring Nicholas Furus to justice,” Elizabeth Lamin, the assistant district attorney for Ramsey County, Minnesota, said.
On April 25, 2010, Heidi Firkus called 911 saying there was a break-in and stopped talking after a gunshot went off, according to the audio from the call. Police found her dead and her husband wounded in the leg from a gunshot.
Nick Firkus told investigators that he fought over a shotgun with the intruder and that it went off, hitting both him and his wife.
Firkus also told officers that the couple was facing serious financial problems and were set to be evicted.
No suspects were named and no one was arrested for years.
However, investigators were still looking into Nick Firkus’ role in his wife’s death, especially since there were discrepancies in his story. There were no signs of a break-in in the house and only Nick Firkus’ DNA was found on the shotgun.
He was arrested in May 2021 and charged with first and second degree murder. Prosecutors said that Nick Firkus killed his wife to hide from the shame of their financial troubles.
A jury convicted Nick Firkus on both charges on Febuary 10 after deliberating for 10 hours.
Peter Erickson, Heidi Firkus’ brother, blasted Nick Firkus during his impact statement.
“The realization quickly set in that everything Nick was telling us, betrayed who I knew my sister to be,” he said. “The fact that he had the audacity to pedal a story that was so obviously inconsistent with Heidi’s character was and still very much as insulting and in offensive to me and everyone else who actually knew and loved her.”
Linda Erickson, the victim’s mother, got emotional during her statement thinking about the years of life lost.
“Because of the unthinkable actions of one person, she was robbed and those who loved her were robbed of participating in that adventure with her,” Linda Erickson said.
Nick Firkus’ attorneys contended their client’s story was the truth and that his wife’s death was caused by the break-in.
Nick Firkus again reiterated his claims that he didn’t murder his wife before the judge sentenced him.
“I do maintain and will maintain to my dying breath,” he said.
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