Heidi Firkus' fatal shooting captured on her 911 call to report an intruder
CBSN
At 6:30 a.m. on April 25, 2010, Heidi Firkus called 911 after her husband, Nick Firkus, said an intruder was breaking into their Saint Paul, Minnesota, home. She was shot and killed. Nick Firkus told investigators that his gun discharged when he struggled with the intruder – but something in his story struck police as odd. NICK FIRKUS (to 911): Ahh, please, please, somebody just broke in our house and shot me and my wife. SGT. KANE (at the hospital): Like I said, we'll do our best to find out how, how Heidi is doing, OK? SGT. GRAY (police interview) You know, I know this is a very traumatic situation, OK? And, I'm just going to try and ease into it, OK? NICK FIRKUS (police interview): I go back to sleep. I just kinda fitfully sleep for 10 or 15 minutes, and then I heard the screen door open. … kinda let it go for a little while, but then I started hearing fiddling with our doorknob. NICK FIRKUS: I keep two shells for just in case things go weird … So when I heard things, this morning, I did load it. … and then I wake up Heidi. HEIDI FIRKUS (911 CALL): Someone's trying to break into my home. SGT GRAY: Alright. So, you are going first down the stairs, or is she, is she behind you, or she in front of you, or what? NICK FIRKUS (police interview) The guy was there … I think he — he grabbed the barrel. … I don't remember exactly but the gun went off. So, my finger slipped onto the trigger. HEIDI FIRKUS (to 911): [Heidi screams] SGT. GRAY (police interview): You come upstairs, you know, I hate to tell you this but my house, you know … I'm justified in killing you if you come breaking into my house. NICK FIRKUS: If we can save ourselves, let's, let's do that instead of getting in a situation where — SGT. GRAY: You guys, uh, have any problems or anything like that? SGT. GRAY: Well, that's kind of, I mean, kinda close notice. NICK FIRKUS: Well, I just wanna know the final answer on, ah, the final answer on Heidi. SGT. GRAY (police interview):, I, you know, part of me wants to ask you this question … Did you have anything to do with this? SGT. GRAY: Now what they were doing? I mean, were they just going like this? (jiggles door knob in the interview room) NICK FIRKUS (police interview): She was running away so it definitely hit her in the back … RACHEL FIRKUS (on audio recording): Your actions have caused me to just distrust you completely. RACHEL FIRKUS (on audio recording): And the fact that your lying was so easy for you to do in front of me over and over and over. Makes me think — NICK FIRKUS (911 CALL): Somebody just broke into our house and shot me and my wife … NICK FIRKUS (police interview): He just came in … NICK FIRKUS (police interview): The guy that was there, I think he, he grabbed the barrel … OFFICER (hospital interview): And what else can you describe from him … NICK FIRKUS (TO 911): Somebody just broke into my house and shot me and my wife. 911 OPERATOR: Someone's trying, west ... NICK FIRKUS (TO 911): Hello, please, please … somebody just broke in our house and shot me ... 911 OPERATOR: Where's the guy that shot you?
"It never felt right," Sgt. Nichole Sipes of the Saint Paul Police Department tells "48 Hours" contributor Jamie Yuccas. "The story never made sense to me." 911 OPERATOR: OK … NICK FIRKUS: Please. NICK FIRKUS: OK. SGT. GRAY: And is Heidi still sleeping then? SGT. GRAY: OK. NICK FIRKUS: Umm, she is front because I'm kinda trying to move her along quickly. NICK FIRKUS: Yeah, I guess the … NICK FIRKUS: Just the normal stuff like, ah, you know, stresses about finances and quality time and vacations and all that stuff. NICK FIRKUS: It is. And I think the reason is cause we're both kinda dealing with the shame of the whole thing … SGT. GRAY: She didn't make it. NICK FIRKUS: No, absolutely not. NICK FIRKUS: Yeah. NICK FIRKUS (on audio recording): That I could murder my wife? NICK FIRKUS: Gloves. NICK FIRKUS (TO 911): Please! [Gunshots heard]
NICK FIRKUS: Yeah. SGT. GRAY: OK, so the gun's — SGT. GRAY: Yeah. NICK FIRKUS: I figured that. I mean — SGT. GRAY: OK. SGT. GRAY: Kinda like that? RACHEL FIRKUS (on audio recording): — that you could lie about something. OFFICER: He's wearing gloves. 911 OPERATOR: Please stay on the phone with me, OK? HEIDI FIRKUS: [Screams]
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