And Then She Killed Him (32 page)

Miriam’s cell phone had numerous messages from Alan’s daughters. In the week before his death, they called Miriam and asked why he was not responding to messages they left for him.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

Miriam and her friend Penny Lyons discovered a card under the Helmicks’ front doormat on June 26, 2008. Part of the card had this message written on it.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

Another section of the card had this message. Alan’s name was misspelled.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

Investigators were able to track down where the card had been sold. They also received a security video of Miriam buying that card at a store in Orchard Mesa.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

One of Miriam’s errands on the morning of June 10, 2008, had been to buy carrots for the horses. But she already had carrots in this bucket in the barn.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

This small Derringer-type weapon was most likely the gun used to kill Alan Helmick.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

Miriam used this vehicle, which had belonged to Alan’s first wife, Sharon, to drive away from Grand Junction in July 2008. Then she disappeared off the radar.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

Miriam was caught on surveillance video at a pawn shop in Jacksonville, Florida. She pawned jewelry that had belonged to Sharon Helmick. In fact, Miriam was passing herself off as Sharon Helmick.
(Courtesy of Mesa County District Attorney’s Office)

On December 8, 2008, Miriam Helmick was arrested in Jacksonville, Florida for the murder of Alan Helmick.
(Mug shot)

Assistant D.A. Rich Tuttle questioned numerous witnesses in the case against Miriam Helmick.
(Courtesy of Rich Tuttle)

Investigator Jim Hebenstreit collected many items connected to the murder of Alan Helmick and spoke with a long list of people who knew both Alan and Miriam.
(Courtesy of Mesa County Sheriff’s Office)

Miriam did not fight extradition to Colorado, believing that she would be found innocent. Even her lawyer had high hopes that Miriam would be acquitted.
(Mug shot)