FL FL- Tina Heins, 20, fatally stabbed @ home, April, '94, BIL, Chad Heins, arrested, DNA- Michael Shane Ziegler, 51, of GA, extradited to FL, Sep, 2025.

[Florida_marlin]

From JAX First Coast News

“It wasn’t easy, but the men and women who carried this case never gave up. Now, 31 years later and with the help of advanced DNA technology, we are able to announce this arrest,” said Edwin Cayenne, director of investigations and Homeland Security for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. “While Tina’s life was tragically cut short, we hope this development brings some measure of peace to her loved ones.”

Never gave up? Oh, yea, you did. You gave up when you unjustly accused an innocent man.

Personally, I was revolted by all the media messages of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the State’s Attorney. Not that they are talking about the fact that they FINALLY caught the perp, which is great, but how they minimized the real harm the Jax investigators and State’s Attorneys perpetuated against Tina and her entire family (which includes Chad, BTW, he was her brother-in-law). Not to mention the grave injustice they rained down on Chad and his family. There should have been a heavy dose of mea culpa and humility in all these quotes and news conferences. But no, wanting to sound like heroes. Read the Innocence Project’s articles on this case. Absolute malfeasance, that one could argue was overt “framing” an innocent party by lazy and outrageous prosecutors.

Not to mention, once the conviction was overturned by the fact that DNA under Tina’s fingernails DID NOT match Chad, the”unwilling to admit they’re wrong” prosecutors arrested him againg and were going to retry him again! It took ANOTHER demand by the defense that they test DNA on the bedsheets (that matched the fingernails) before they dropped the case. Unbelievable arrogance and injustice.

This case shows the divide in the justice system. If Chad would have had a good lawyer from the get go, these prosecutors would not have been able to get away with this.

Some say justice delayed is justice denied. Well, this was 100% on the folks now bragging about their accomplishments.

 

[JaxFlaGal]

Ziegler case number is 2025-CF-008099-AXXX in Duval County, FL
next court date October 14, 9 AM
You can search with that case number for updates here:
CORE - Clerk Online Resource ePortal
I downloaded the Indictment, Arrest/Booking report, and Notice of Appearance/Not guilty plea documents

 

[dotr]

Tina's husband must have gone through a living nightmare, his pregnant wife raped and murdered and his own brother jailed for the crime.
But the pain of knowing now that his brother was innocent all along and that the heartless killer was in fact his 'best friend,' must be horrendous! imo.

ETA, might offer some relief though that it was not his brother.

 

[Maat99]

Tina's husband must have gone through a living nightmare, his pregnant wife raped and murdered and his own brother jailed for the crime.
But the pain of knowing now that his brother was innocent all along and that the heartless killer was in fact his 'best friend,' must be horrendous! imo.

ETA, might offer some relief though that it was not his brother.

Just a nightmare. His best friend was probably there every step of the way after the murder providing “emotional support”.

 

[rvlvr]

The Innocence Project has a page about this case and explains more about what happened with Chad Heins: Innocence Project: Chad Heins

Such an infuriating read, particularly this bit:

Also during the appeals process, attorneys for Heins learned that a fingerprint had been discovered before trial on the faucet of the blood-stained sink in the Heins’ bathroom, where it was undisputed that the perpetrator attempted to clean up after the murder. Police and prosecutors apparently knew before trial that this print came from someone other than Chad Heins, the victim or this victim’s husband, but the jury never learned of the print. It is unclear whether Heins’ defense attorney was informed about the print by prosecutors.

I’m assuming Ziegler’s prints would have been on file, given he was in the military?

Can only echo what others have said, a little bit of humility from the authorities probably wouldn’t have gone amiss here. This case was surely solvable 31 years ago.

Came across this interesting interview with Chad Heins earlier, from 2008. Sounds like his parents stuck by him throughout but at the time of the interview he had no relationship with his brother.

 

[othram]

Such an infuriating read, particularly this bit:



I’m assuming Ziegler’s prints would have been on file, given he was in the military?

Can only echo what others have said, a little bit of humility from the authorities probably wouldn’t have gone amiss here. This case was surely solvable 31 years ago.

Came across this interesting interview with Chad Heins earlier, from 2008. Sounds like his parents stuck by him throughout but at the time of the interview he had no relationship with his brother.

Ziegler was never a suspect so whatever the military might have had, there would have never been a reason for inquiry.

 

[rvlvr]

Ziegler was never a suspect so whatever the military might have had, there would have never been a reason for inquiry.

How much investigating beyond trying to find proof of Chad’s guilt took place, though? Ziegler was apparently a witness at Tina and Michael’s wedding, so hardly a complete stranger. I’d have thought it would have been prudent to rule out the couple’s associates, particularly when it was discovered that the hairs in the bedroom didn’t belong to Chad - in light of that, surely establishing who the fingerprint belonged to should have become a serious line of inquiry?

 

[Florida_marlin]

Ziegler was never a suspect so whatever the military might have had, there would have never been a reason for inquiry.

Yea, Ziegler was never a suspect because the investigators and State’s Attorney were idiots. Husband’s “best friend” and never a suspect. Of course not, because they decided it was Chad and made it happen. No physical evidence, but they did have some bogus “informant” testimony.

 

[NervousNellie]

Ziegler was never a suspect so whatever the military might have had, there would have never been a reason for inquiry.

But they had a fingerprint. Wouldn't Ziegler's have been in the system they were checking/comparing to the one found at the crime scene? I have always assumed my fingerprints are "in the system" (whatever that means?) since I had them done in the military. Is that not true?

Additionally, those details shared by @Florida_marlin are fascinating. The Innocence Project page and the video shared above are great reading/listening. What a tragic miscarriage of justice. How awful that LE destroyed a family in crisis with their mishandling of, and seemingly trumped up charges for, this woman's murder. How disappointing as a citizen and shameful for them as a department.

Edited to Add: Great job, once again, @othram! Keep up the fabulous work!

 

[Chimera]

Jeremy and Tina’s wedding with Ziegler on the right acting as witness. Unbelievable. Is this another case where a man murders a woman and then goes on to lead a “normal” life?
View attachment 616503

Authorities arrest family friend for Jacksonville woman's murder in 1994 cold case

www.actionnewsjax.com

Thanks for the link, @Maat99 !

According to the video, she was also about 4 months pregnant.

The video mentioned 'sexual battery' so I'm guessing he maybe broke in and tried to get Tina to have a dalliance & she refused and he lost it ?
Or, if he was friends with the husband, Jeremy, and brother, Chad, who was wrongfully charged, maybe he was at their place hanging out watching tv & when the brother went to sleep, the killer made his move ?

Glad they caught Ziegler.
Rest in eternal peace, Tina !!
My condolences to her husband and family, and esp. to Chad who lost a little over a decade of his life !
Imo.

 

[justtrish]

Tina's husband must have gone through a living nightmare, his pregnant wife raped and murdered and his own brother jailed for the crime.
But the pain of knowing now that his brother was innocent all along and that the heartless killer was in fact his 'best friend,' must be horrendous! imo.

ETA, might offer some relief though that it was not his brother.

I'm curious if they stayed in contact all these years. So sad that his brother was convicted and spent 11 years in prison and all along this "friend" was the one. How does he live with himself for not only doing this crime, but knowing his friend's brother was locked up for this crime and he knew the truth because it was him.

 

[tigerlily96]

I'm curious if they stayed in contact all these years. So sad that his brother was convicted and spent 11 years in prison and all along this "friend" was the one. How does he live with himself for not only doing this crime, but knowing his friend's brother was locked up for this crime and he knew the truth because it was him.

Psychopaths won’t care

 

[layer]

Psychopaths won’t care

Actually, he might have enjoyed it.