Defendant in David Heisler kidnapping case to be federally indicted; death penalty on table

Defendant in David Heisler kidnapping case to be federally indicted; death penalty on table

(Washington County Jail)


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ST. GEORGE — Nine months after 30-year-old David Heisler was abducted from his Santa Clara home and left for dead on the Arizona Strip, the three suspects believed by authorities to have perpetrated the abhorrent and shocking crime appeared in court.

A review hearing for Kelley Marie Perry, 32, and Francis Lee McCard, 56, was set before Judge Eric Ludlow in Washington County’s 5th District Court Tuesday on charges of first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping, first-degree felony aggravated burglary and second-degree felony theft.

Since the July 5, 2016, arrest of McCard and Perry, Heisler’s former girlfriend and mother of his now 7-year-old child, Washington County prosecutors have been awaiting word on a possible federal indictment being sought in the case.

Federal authorities have the right to prosecute certain crimes that become federal offenses by crossing from one state to another – as in this case involving a kidnapping resulting in death when the defendants reportedly transported Heisler from Utah to a desolate area in Arizona where Heisler was either killed or left to die in the extreme heat after allegedly being assaulted.

Ryan Stout, defense counsel for Perry, told the court during a Jan. 1 review hearing that federal prosecutors intend to indict Perry.

While Washington County Deputy Attorney Zachary Weiland said Tuesday he had not heard from federal authorities as to whether they are going to federally indict Perry, Weiland confirmed he had received word the federal government would be indicting McCard – which could potentially earn McCard the death penalty if he is convicted.

Read the full story at St. George News.

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Kimberly Scott

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