NY Erna Heyer, 32, killed by new roommate, New York, 28 Aug 1986

[joecurtin]

I am wondering what ever happened to the woman who murdered and dismembered Erna Lyne Heyer in 1986. She and her killer were both to begin a Women's Studies curriculum at Columbia University and were assigned to room together. On their first night the roommate stabbed and dismembered Erna, disposing of her using regular trash bags. It got very little attention at the time and now has disappeared entirely from search results. The date of the murder is Aug 28, 1986 I believe, location Fort Washington Ave in Manhattan. The killer had only recently been released from a mental hospital when she committed the murder.

 

[joecurtin]

I should add that she was a friend of mine, she was very into feminism. When Columbia assigned her to a coed dorm she refused, not wanting to dorm with or near men. She basically demanded off-campus housing and the school obliged by placing her with 2 other feminist room mates on Fort Washington Ave. She was murdered within hours of moving in by the new room mate who was only weeks out of a mental facility, possibly correctional. I believe the killer had a previous murder charge. This was definitely in the New York Times in a very small but graphic article, it said that the killer felt that her living situation was threatened by Erna's presence. The dismemberment was extreme with the body cut into very small pieces by a common house knife and put out with the trash over 4 days until a few garbage men saw blood leaking.

It makes me wonder why Columbia did not know the killer's very violent background. This is all pre-internet but you would still think they had some court and correctional facility data. I think the 3rd room mate had not yet arrived for the semester or was away.

 

[joecurtin]

I found the only article on this case in the Aug 19th 1986 NY Times. Buried under some real estate article. I wonder what ever happened to the killer Leah Wiggins.

Charged with Hacking Death

Clipping found in The Journal News published in White Plains, New York on 8/29/1986. Charged with Hacking Death

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