Barbara Opel

Barbara Marie Opel is an American woman convicted of paying a group of teenagers to murder a 64-year-old man with terminal cancer in 2001. She is serving a life sentence, with no prospect of parole.

Barbara Opel
Born (1963-05-16) May 16, 1963
USA
OccupationLive-in caretaker
Criminal statusIn prison
ChildrenHeather Opel
Conviction(s)Aggravated first degree murder
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment without the possibility of parole
Details
VictimsJerry Duane Heiman

Murder

Opel was living with Jerry Duane Heiman, aged 64, and his 89-year-old mother, whom she cared for. In order to steal $40,000, she paid five teenagers, including her own 13-year-old daughter, to murder Heiman. Her other children, aged 7 and 11, were instructed by her to help mop up his blood.[1] Kyle Boston, aged 14, received $220, whilst his 13-year-old cousin was paid roughly $100, for the killing. 17-year-old Jeffrey Grote was given a car.[2]

On April 13, 2001, the five teenagers ambushed Heiman and attacked him with knives and baseball bats. He was found eight days later, in a shallow grave, roughly ten miles from his house.

Trial

Opel denied that she wanted him dead, despite regularly telling friends "I wish he was dead".[3] She was found guilty and was narrowly spared the death penalty, as the jury could not reach a unanimous decision.[4] Following her conviction she was banned from any contact with her children, or being in the same prison as them.[5]

Opel's daughter Heather, pleaded guilty to first degree murder at the age of 14. She received life in prison, with a non-parole period of 22 years, making her eligible for parole in 2023 at the age of 36.[6] In April 2022 her sentence was reduced by the Snohomish County Superior Court to 20 years.[7]Kyle Boston was sentenced to 18 years, after pleading guilty to second degree murder. His unnamed cousin was tried as a juvenile and was released at the age of 21.[8] Jeffrey Grote (Heather Opel's boyfriend at the time of the attack), pleaded guilty to first degree murder and received a 50-year prison sentence.[9] Marriam Oliver, aged 14, was Heather Opel's best friend and also participated in the murder. Oliver pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received a 22-year prison sentence.[10]

Opel is currently incarcerated in the Washington Corrections Center for Women.

In the media

Opel's case has been featured on the Investigation Discovery program Deadly Women in the third-season finale episode called "Blood Lines," appearing as the first of the three cases featured in the episode.

Her case is also featured on Season 2, Episode 8 titled “Mommy’s Little Killers” from the show Deadly Sins’’.

References
  1. "Heather Opel, 14, is sentenced to 22 years for role in murder". Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  2. "Woman Accused of Enlisting Teenagers in Killing - New York Times". Everett (Wash): Nytimes.com. April 26, 2001. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  3. "'I thought that if Jerry got beat up bad he deserved it'". Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  4. "Opel Spared Death Penalty". www.kirotv.com. Archived from the original on April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  5. Hefley, Diana (August 10, 2013). "Woman sought contact with daughter she hired to kill man". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  6. M.L. Lyk (August 16, 2002). "Heather Opel, 14, is sentenced to 22 years for role in murder". seattlepi.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  7. Goldstein-Street, Jake (April 1, 2022). "A 2001 killer, then 13, will be released from prison early". Everett Heraldnet. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  8. Leon, John de (December 11, 2013). "Shorter sentence denied for inmate convicted of 2001 Everett murder". The Associated Press. OLYMPIA: The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  9. Sullivan, Jennifer. "Grote sentenced for role in Heimann slaying". Community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  10. Hefley, Diana (June 14, 2016). "Woman who was 14 when she helped kill a man is denied clemency". HeraldNet.com. OLYMPIA: Everett Herald and Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved January 9, 2019. The board, in a 3-1 vote last week, declined to recommend that Gov. Jay Inslee commute the rest of Marriam Oliver's 22-year prison sentence.
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