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Trial paints family in turmoil
Heidt either greedy murder, inept adulterer
craigheidt
Craig Heidt - photo by Effingham Herald photo

SPRINGFIELD - A Georgia man's lies to police, bruises on his arm and a family feud over his affair with his brother's wife all point to one conclusion - that he committed the 2008 shotgun slayings of his father and brother, a prosecutor told an Effingham County jury Thursday.
The jury of eight women and four men began deliberations in the murder trial of Craig Heidt, 42, after hearing closing arguments from lawyers on both sides Thursday.
Heidt's defense attorney, Dow Bonds, told jurors a lack of physical evidence linking Heidt to the crime amounted to prosecutors asking them to take "a leap of faith" and left plenty of room for reasonable doubt.
"It was hearsay, suspicion, rumor and gossip - that's what drove the investigation," Bonds said. "Next to sleeping with the brother's wife, the only thing more stupid is lying about it to the police. But those things do not make someone a murderer."
Heidt faces life in prison if convicted of murder in the slayings of his father, real estate developer Philip Heidt, and younger brother, Carey Heidt. Both men were killed in bed by shotgun blasts at the home of the defendant's parents in August 2008.
Craig Heidt is also charged with shooting his mother, Linda Heidt, in the face at close range. She survived the attack, but was unable to identify who shot her.
Prosecutors say Craig Heidt had motive to kill his own family. They had discovered he was having an affair with his slain brother's wife, Robin Rast Heidt, and were trying to stop the relationship.
"The man that is capable of sleeping with his dead brother's wife is capable of doing anything," prosecutor Michael Muldrew said in his closing argument. "He hated his brother, he hated his father and the only way he'd inherit any money to finance his lifestyle is to kill his father and kill his brother."
Craig Heidt denied committing the slayings and investigators never found the gun, the spent shotgun shells, or any fingerprints or blood to incriminate him.
Police did find three unfired shotgun shells in the defendant's truck. And they found bruises on his arm that a pathologist testified were likely caused by recoil from the stock of a large gun.
Muldrew also noted Craig Heidt at first lied about his affair when confronted by authorities. He also denied the shotgun shells could have been found in his truck, though he was an avid hunter.
Bonds told jurors a rush to judgment in building a case against Craig Heidt caused investigators to ignore other potential suspects. He noted Philip Heidt's real estate business was more than $10 million in debt at a time when the market was plummeting.
"There are so many questions," Bonds said. "And so few answers."

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Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
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Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

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