Killer mom Julissa Thaler who shot dead 6-year-old son Eli Hart found GUILTY, will serve life sentence
ORONO, MINNESOTA: Minnesota mother, Julissa Thaler, will reportedly spend the rest of her life behind bars after she was found guilty in the murder of her 6-year-old son, who was found dead in the trunk of her car in May 2022. Thaler, 29, was convicted of first and second-degree murder for shooting and killing her son Eli Hart.
The jury found the mother guilty of premeditated murder charges, which carries a mandatory life sentence without any possibility of release, in just under two hours of deliberations on Wednesday, February 8. Court officials stated that jurors were offered crisis counselors due to the gravity of the case. Thaler originally faced second-degree murder charges but was indicted on the upgraded charges by a grand jury earlier this month. She was first arrested in May 2022 when a 911 caller reported that she was spotted driving on the rim of her car and had a window smashed out, as per CBS News.
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Julissa Thaler had won a protracted custody battle
The Minnesota police pulled over Thaler’s car after they noticed blood inside the vehicle. More evidence of foul play was found at a nearby gas station where the car had stopped. The officials reportedly found blood on her hand before discovering Hart’s deceased body in her car’s trunk. An autopsy report revealed that the boy died of "multiple shotgun wounds," and listed his death as a homicide.
Authorities revealed that Thaler had won a protracted custody battle for her son just days before his death. Following the custody battle, Eli’s father, Tory Hart, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against two Dakota County Social Services employees, alleging they were "negligent" in releasing his son to Thaler despite concerns over her mental well-being and drug use. As Meaww reported earlier, Thaler had failed to take care of Eli, which made officials keep him in a foster home for nearly a year.
'One of the most horrific cases I have encountered'
Earlier in Eli’s murder trial, Tory claimed that his son had completely changed after he was reunited with Thaler. He allegedly showed signs of anxiety and misbehaved in school. He once pushed a child off of a slide, and also kicked a child in the throat. At home, he chewed on his shirt, had trouble sleeping, spoke like a baby, and also started stuttering. In previous hearings, the court also reviewed some official documents, which revealed that Thaler had "numerous traffic violations", including speeding, careless driving, and using a wireless communication device while driving.
Following the verdict, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty released a statement, saying "Eli's brutal murder is one of the most horrific cases I have encountered in 30 years working in the criminal legal system. Nothing will ever fill the emptiness Eli's father and other loved ones now live with every day, but I'm hopeful this verdict will make it just a bit easier to remember Eli as the toothless, happy, smiling little boy we have seen in photos."