Barbara Opel
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Barbara Opel | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 16, 1963 USA |
| Occupation | Live-in caretaker |
| Criminal status | In prison |
| Children | Heather Opel |
| Conviction(s) | Aggravated first-degree murder |
| Criminal charge | Aggravated first-degree murder |
| Penalty | Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole |
| Details | |
| Victims | Jerry Duane Heiman |
Barbara Marie Opel is an American woman convicted of paying a group of teenagers to murder a 64-year-old man with terminal cancer in 2001.
Opel is currently serving a life sentence, with no prospect of parole.
Murder
Opel was living with Jerry Duane Heiman, aged 64 and his 89-year-old mother, whom she cared for. In order to steal $40,000, she paid five teenagers, including her own 13-year-old daughter, to murder Heiman. Her other children, aged 7 and 11, were instructed by her to help mop up his blood.[1] Kyle Boston, aged 14, received $220, whilst his 13-year-old cousin was paid roughly $100, for the killing. 17-year-old Jeffrey Grote was given a car.[2]
On April 13, 2001, the five teenagers ambushed Heiman and attacked him with knives and baseball bats. He was found 8 days later, in a shallow grave, roughly ten miles from his house.
Trial
Opel denied that she wanted him dead, despite regularly telling friends "I wish he was dead".[3] She was found guilty and was narrowly spared the death penalty, as the jury could not reach a unanimous decision.[4] Following her conviction she was banned from any contact with her children, or being in the same prison as them.[5]
Opel's daughter Heather, pleaded guilty to second degree murder and received a 22-year prison sentence, with no possibility of parole, at the age of 14.[6]
Kyle Boston was sentenced to 18 years, after pleading guilty to second degree murder. His unnamed cousin was tried as a juvenile and was released at the age of 21.[7]
Jeffrey Grote (Heather Opel's boyfriend at the time of the attack), pleaded guilty to first degree murder and received a 50-year prison sentence.[8]
Marriam Oliver, aged 14, was Heather Opel's best friend and also participated in the murder. Oliver pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 22-year prison sentence.[9]
Opel is currently incarcerated in the Washington Corrections Center for Women.
References
- ^ "Heather Opel, 14, is sentenced to 22 years for role in murder". Retrieved April 20, 2014.
- ^ "Woman Accused of Enlisting Teenagers in Killing - New York Times". Everett (Wash): Nytimes.com. April 26, 2001. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- ^ "'I thought that if Jerry got beat up bad he deserved it'". Retrieved August 5, 2015.
- ^ "Opel Spared Death Penalty". www.kirotv.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- ^ Hefley, Diana (August 10, 2013). "Woman sought contact with daughter she hired to kill man". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- ^ M.L. Lyk (August 16, 2002). "Heather Opel, 14, is sentenced to 22 years for role in murder". seattlepi.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- ^ Leon, John de (December 11, 2013). "Shorter sentence denied for inmate convicted of 2001 Everett murder". The Associated Press. OLYMPIA: The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
- ^ Sullivan, Jennifer. "Grote sentenced for role in Heimann slaying". Community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
- ^ Hefley, Diana (June 14, 2016). "Woman who was 14 when she helped kill a man is denied clemency". HeraldNet.com. OLYMPIA: Everett Herald and Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
The board, in a 3-1 vote last week, declined to recommend that Gov. Jay Inslee commute the rest of Marriam Oliver's 22-year prison sentence.