Stuart Heaton case

On the afternoon of July 23, 1991, sixteen-year-old Krystal Naab was found murdered in her parents' mobile home in Ramsey, Illinois; she had been stabbed 81 times with a pair of sewing scissors. An autopsy revealed that Naab was three months pregnant. Questioning of the victim's brother led police to a 25-year-old carpenter named Stuart Wayne Heaton.{{cite news |last=Getz |first=Jim |date=1991-09-13 |title=Grand Jury Indicts Murder Suspect |work=Herald & Review |page=A3 |quote=Stuart Wayne Heaton, 25, was indicted on two counts of committing first-degree murder by repeatedly stabbing Naab.}} He was subsequently arrested and observed to have cuts on his hands. In addition, witnesses claimed to have seen a white pickup truck (the same type of vehicle Heaton owned) at the Naab residence on the day Krystal was murdered. He was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder by a grand jury.{{cite news|title=Grand jury of St. Libory indicts murder suspect |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=15537990&fcfToken=30515345743847726d705a69316958732b764e6f6475612f4a4f434743474f54392b64356d7a4558595847796674706d5665416a2f6b32744a7347426346574f|newspaper=Herald and Review|date=September 13, 1991|page=33|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = November 3, 2017 }} {{free access}}

Image:menardcc.jpg in Chester, Illinois, where Heaton is serving his life sentence]]

Heaton was put on trial in 1992. DNA testing of the semen sample taken from Naab's body, conducted by Dr. Robert Allen, was compared to the DNA of Heaton, concluding that it was a match, and that the chances of the DNA matching a white male other than Heaton were 1 in 52,600. There was no other physical evidence at the crime scene that could be linked to Heaton.{{cite news|title=Murder Evidence Disputed Scientist Says Genetic Test Could Clear Convicted Man |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=15538180&fcfToken=4b4537304967677166487a4f6b683848596b6d69396e39514c5a77435037324e6b502f304c522b76434b44334a5446673272754b6b55536e347139616d6b454f38437a58326f6a432f306f3d|newspaper=St Louis Post-Dispatch|date=February 21, 1994|page=22|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 6, 2017 }} {{free access}} The DNA evidence, along with circumstantial evidence, ultimately convicted Heaton of Krystal Naab's murder and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.{{cite news|title=Judge's gavel bangs out life without parole |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=15538014&fcfToken=6a644743722f464d796244356e4f5a584a4b71464f44424a5a52706e595856706c6632376737755431746f7a6c74567876326e64743974516772774e30525442|newspaper=Herald and Review|date=August 1, 1992|page=1|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 6, 2017 }} {{free access}}

However, the DNA testing was disputed by some, including the defense expert at Heaton's trial, Dr. Gary Litman, who said it was the "worst quality DNA work I've seen done." Analysis of the DNA evidence by Dr. Dan E. Krane was inconclusive on whether the semen belonged to Heaton, and that the case could be made that someone else committed the murder. Another expert in the field, Dr. Thomas Marr, also criticized the work of Allen due to mistakes made during the DNA testing.{{cite news|title=DNA Labeling Errors Raise Doubts in Conviction |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=15538091&fcfToken=594e7947564272644f35566e746d42755035565a4b6e4f327446332b427446694e777351305546786258684d4c37506577384b6336346c6341644a6c4e6e496363615379665259574a4b673d|newspaper=St Louis Post-Dispatch|date=March 4, 1994|page=5|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = November 30, 2017 }} {{free access}} In 1997, Heaton's request to have his conviction overturned was denied.{{cite news|title=Judge refuses to reconsider ruling in murder case |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=15538032&fcfToken=6f6c384f4a546f38663835784759746a7a494a5a34336a65544a735645303141683547763549507a7471596a2b34435942413330574b774a4f675a6d796d616d|newspaper=Herald and Review|date=June 12, 1997|page=33|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = November 3, 2017 }} {{free access}}

In July 2001, Heaton was granted a new round of DNA testing by a Fayette County judge.{{cite news|title=Lawyers in noted murder case await new DNA test results |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=15538034&fcfToken=417049462f4d507a6375454f665a554b724e44514b6862456c5934736f76624b396b4e4a726e58466e563751622f496f35484e543552686b3548776a7642566b535444307a6a6d763273493d|newspaper=The Times|date=October 5, 2001|page=68|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = September 6, 2017 }} {{free access}}

In 2001, new DNA testing was performed unequivocally proving that Heaton was, in fact, the murderer. However, there are still some who support him and maintain his innocence.

Heaton's case was featured on several television programs, including Unsolved Mysteries and The Investigators.{{cite news|title=Mother pins hopes on 'Unsolved Mysteries'|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=23037638&fcfToken=707a43344543596b6d483536415a616e574b5654726e6c44465236474567497652684f317275595972363677385245576f66417a4e596f727162766355793139|newspaper=Herald and Review|date=December 16, 1994|page=24|via = Newspapers.com|accessdate = August 22, 2018 }} {{free access}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-investigators/episode-3572153/198009/|title=The Wrong Man? Stuart Heaton|publisher=tvguide.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702011040/http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-investigators/episode-3572153/198009/|archive-date=July 2, 2018|url-status=dead}}

• List of homicides in Illinois

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Category:1991 murders in the United States

Category:1991 in Illinois

Category:Child murder in Illinois

Category:July 1991 crimes in the United States