Nicholas Firkus charged with 2010 slaying of his wife; financial difficulty a possible motive

Eleven years after he claimed an intruder shot and killed his wife in their St. Paul home, Nicholas Firkus was charged Thursday with murder in her death.

Firkus was charged with one count of second-degree intentional murder in connection with the shooting death of his wife, Heidi, in the couple's home on April 25, 2010.

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office announced the charges a day after a St. Paul SWAT team arrested Firkus in his Mounds View home while serving a sealed warrant. Judge Kellie Charles set bail at $3 million and scheduled Firkus' next court appearance for July 1.

"Every homicide is a tragedy. Every victim deserves justice. Every family that has had a loved one stolen from them deserves the truth," said St. Paul Police Chief Todd Axtell. "Today, after years of tenacious work by investigators and our law enforcement partners, we are one step closer to getting justice for Heidi, and the truth for everyone who loved her — especially her mother, father and brothers. I'm hopeful that this provides Heidi's family with some sense of solace."

Firkus' attorney, Joe Friedberg said he had no comment on the charges.

On the day of her death, Heidi Firkus called 911 about 6:30 a.m. to report somebody was trying to break into her home in the 1700 block of W. Minnehaha Avenue, but she didn't say that anybody had gotten inside. Thirty-eight seconds into the call, as Heidi was giving dispatch her address, the 911 operator heard a noise that sounded like a gunshot. Heidi stopped speaking, and the call went dead.

"There is no significant background noise on the call," the criminal complaint reads.

Though Firkus told officers he struggled with the killer near the front door, evidence at the scene didn't fit his account. Just inside the door, a small table with a beer bottle, a water bottle and a receipt on it appeared undisturbed. Heidi Firkus was shot once in the back, and police found her in the kitchen, about 14 feet from the front door.

"Given where Heidi was shot, the trajectory of that shot, if extended back to just inside the front door, would require the shotgun to be near the table inside the door," the complaint continued.

Firkus told investigators he brought the shotgun up from the basement about a month before the incident because moisture was causing the gun to rust. He said the gun was unloaded and that he loaded the shotgun only when he heard the noises at the door downstairs, the complaint said.

Investigators tested swabs from the gun for DNA but found no unidentified DNA profiles. DNA swabs from the entry door contained insufficient genetic information, the charges said.

The complaint also says Heidi's death occurred the day before the couple were to be evicted from their home. Records showed their home was in foreclosure and the couple owed more than $1,700 to the bank. Despite the deadline to move, nothing had been packed.

Heidi was likely unaware of the financial difficulty the couple were in, court records show.

In one of the final e-mail exchanges between the couple on April 23, Heidi discusses plans with friends, and Firkus simply replies: "Oh, I'm ok with that as long as I can have you to myself tomorrow night."

Firkus' arrest was a collaboration between the FBI and St. Paul police.

Heidi Firkus' parents, John and Linda Erickson, attended Thursday's news conference and released a statement.

"We're extremely grateful for all those who have worked so hard and long to get the case to this point. And also for everyone who has prayed and stood beside us all these years. We are hopeful that these charges will finally bring out the truth and result in justice for Heidi. Even though we know we can't have her back, we believe Heidi would want us to have the truth. God is honored by truth. Heidi's life and memory is further honored by truth."

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768