Shivangi Sinha
Heather Strube, a dedicated mother to her 18-month-old son, found herself amid a divorce from her husband. They shared custody of their child. In April 2009, while she was picking up her son from her husband, she was shot in a public parking lot. Upon the police’s arrival, it was evident that nothing was taken from Heather, suggesting that the attack was likely premeditated. Consequently, law enforcement initiated an investigation into her murder, treating it as a homicide. The NBC ‘Dateline’ episode titled ‘Deadly Swap’ delves into the investigation that ultimately led to the apprehension of Heather’s killer.
Heather Strube was Shot in a Target Parking Lot
Born on April 20, 1984, Heather Strube was raised in a loving and supportive family. Growing up alongside a younger brother, she doted on him and the rest of her family. She attended Shiloh High School in Snellville and was raised in a religious household. It was during her teenage years in the youth group that she met Steven Strube, with whom she fell deeply in love. By 2004, they were happily married, eagerly anticipating their future together. Three years into their marriage, the couple welcomed their son Carson into the world in 2007.
In 2008, Heather and Steven encountered marital issues that led to their separation, and they were in the process of getting a divorce while sharing custody of their son, Carson. By 2009, Heather had taken on the role of a wedding coordinator and floral designer at Flowers of Olde Town in Conyers. Concurrently, she was pursuing her business degree at Perimeter College of Georgia State University.
On the evening of April 26, 2009, Heather met Steven in a Target Parking lot in Snellville, Georgia, to pick up Carson. The exchange appeared routine, occurring in daylight. After Steven drove away, Heather placed Carson in the car seat and prepared to leave. At around 6 p.m., witnesses observed someone obstructing her exit, engaging in an argument with her before firing a single gunshot to her forehead using a .38 caliber handgun. Heather, 25, succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Carson, still in the backseat, was found unharmed when the police arrived.
An Eye-Witness Led the Police to Heather Strube’s Killer
Heather Strube’s purse remained in the car, suggesting that robbery was not the motive. Witness accounts indicated that the crime was executed swiftly, leading investigators to conclude that it was a premeditated murder rather than a botched robbery or random act of gun violence. Eyewitnesses described the assailant as a slender man dressed in khaki pants and a white button-down shirt, with black hair and a mustache. However, some witnesses expressed suspicion that the hair and mustache appeared artificial, possibly indicating the use of wigs.
Police obtained CCTV footage from the Target store, capturing the suspect’s movements, although their face remained obscured. Despite deploying a canine unit to track the suspect’s trail, the scent was lost after a certain point. Accounts from multiple witnesses indicated that Heather engaged in an argument with the suspect before the shooting, leading investigators to speculate that she may have been acquainted with the assailant. During the investigation, Steven, who was residing with his parents at the time, was brought in for questioning. He professed ignorance about the shooting and provided an alibi, stating that he had gone to the car wash and then met his girlfriend. His alibi was corroborated.
While Steven was seen leaving the parking lot minutes before the shooting, the police did not dismiss the possibility that he could have orchestrated the attack by hiring someone else to carry it out. The police received a crucial lead from an eyewitness—a truck driver who was staying at a motel situated behind the Target store. According to his testimony, a day before the murder, he observed an individual in a white pickup truck with distinctive side molding taking photographs of the shopping center and surveying the area with binoculars. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that a white pickup truck matching the description belonged to Heather’s mother-in-law, Joanna Hayes.
At this juncture, armed with a sketch of the suspect, the police revisited Steven for further interrogation nine days after the incident. They presented him with the composite sketch and surveillance footage of the individual observed in the parking lot. Reportedly, Steven identified the person depicted as his mother and appeared visibly unsettled. He subsequently reached out to his mother to discuss the shooting, and in a recorded conversation captured by the authorities, Steven can be heard expressing his observation that the suspect bore a striking resemblance to her in appearance and mannerisms.
A search warrant was executed on Joanna’s car, yielding forensic evidence including wig fibers and traces of gunshot residue on the steering wheel, despite attempts to clean the vehicle. Furthermore, Joanna’s ex-husband attested to her possession of a Rossi .38 caliber firearm. Although Joanna maintained her innocence and provided receipts from a restaurant in Luthersville, indicating she was elsewhere at the time of the murder, police investigations revealed discrepancies in her alibi.
While the timestamp on the receipt indicated 7:19 p.m., suggesting she was not near the crime scene, law enforcement calculations suggested she could have feasibly traveled to the restaurant after the shooting, which occurred at about 6 p.m. In December 2009, Joanna was arrested by the police and charged with murder. Her trial commenced in May 2011, during which prosecutors argued that she had murdered Heather to retain custody of Carson. Despite maintaining her innocence, Joanna was found guilty due to the substantial evidence against her and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
