Who killed Heather Strube? ‘Dateline NBC’ uncovers grandmother who disguised as a man and shot her daughter-in-law
SNELLVILLE, GEORGIA: Heather Strube was killed by her mother-in-law and grandmother to her child, Joanna Hayes.
At the time of the tragic incident, Heather and her husband Steven Strube were entangled in a custody battle over their 18-month-old son, Carson. On April 26, 2009, the couple arranged to meet in the parking lot of a Target store in Snellville, where Steven intended to hand over Carson to Heather. Following the exchange, Steven departed, leaving Heather to secure Carson in his car seat.
It was at this moment that an assailant approached Heather's vehicle, brandishing a gun, and fatally shot her in the head. Fortunately, Carson remained unharmed during the ordeal. During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Joanna Hayes disguised herself as a man wearing a wig and mustache to shoot Heather because she wanted to prevent her daughter-in-law from obtaining custody of her grandson.
Who was Heather Strube?
Heather Strube was a 25-year-old florist and mother from Snellville, Georgia. She was tragically killed in a Target parking lot in 2009. She was married to Steven Strube and they were going through a divorce during the time she met her end.
Heather Strube had found employment as a wedding coordinator at her parents' florist shop in Conyers, while simultaneously working towards her associate's degree in business at Georgia Perimeter College. According to a close friend Heather had begun dating another man in the months leading up to her tragic demise.
Her mother Mary Allen had talked about Heather was actively "moving forward" with her life following the difficult end of her five-year marriage.
What happened between Heather Strube and her husband Steven?
Heather and Steven Strube parted ways in June 2008, following their separation. According to reports, Strubes' marriage was strained, partly due to Steven Strube's infidelity. Steven was still involved with the woman with whom he had an extramarital affair, contributing to the deterioration of his marriage.
In divorce filings, Heather Strube had levied accusations of adultery, alongside claims of physical and emotional abuse, against her husband. In a subsequent response submitted to the court in Newton County, Steven Strube refuted these allegations. The Target parking lot served as a customary drop-off location for the couple, as noted by Heather Strube's mother Mary Allen.
According to Allen, her daughter selected this spot due to its public nature and surveillance camera monitoring. Strube harbored concerns for her safety amidst the contentious divorce proceedings, prompting her to prioritize meeting in a location with heightened security measures.
Why did mother-in-law Joanna Hayes shoot Heather Strube?
On April 26, 2009, as part of their routine, she and her husband, Steven, who shared custody of their 18-month-old son, Carson, met at a Target parking lot in the evening to facilitate the handover. Witnesses observed the exchange, noting that it proceeded smoothly, with Steven driving away after Carson was securely seated in his car.
However, moments later, Heather found herself confronted by her mother-in-law Joanna Hayes who engaged in an argument with her, preventing her from accessing her vehicle. Hayes had donned a "Sonny and Cher" style man's wig and fake mustache when she approached Heather Strube, 26, and shot her point blank in the head at the Target parking lot on Scenic Highway North in Snellville. Allegedly, Hayes aimed to evade recognition by onlookers and her grandson, who was 18 months old at the time and seated in his car seat when his mother was tragically slain outside her vehicle.
"People were hysterical," recounted Neil Carter of the Snellville Police Department, recalling the harrowing scene he encountered as a rookie officer. The sight of the young mother lying lifeless on the ground was seared into his memory as "horrific."
When was Joanna Hayes arrested?
After the shooter, captured on mall surveillance, departed the scene, witnesses speculated that they may have been disguised with a wig and fake mustache. Despite efforts by a canine unit, the suspect's trail was lost. Police suspected the crime was meticulously planned due to its choreographed execution, suggesting Heather wasn't randomly targeted. With their focus narrowed to individuals aware of Heather and Steven's regular meetings, investigators initially questioned Steven, who, despite prior arrests and probation, provided an alibi that checked out. However, suspicions lingered regarding the possibility of Steven orchestrating a hired hit.
A pivotal breakthrough occurred when a truck driver staying behind the mall reported seeing an individual with a white pickup truck, believed to be Heather's mother-in-law, Joanna Hayes, taking pictures of the shopping center the day before the murder. Despite Hayes providing an alibi from a snack bar in another county, investigators were suspicious because they had discovered that she was determined to remain involved in her grandson's life, and potentially threatened by her son's divorce.
To intensify pressure, authorities showed Steven the surveillance tape, prompting him to recognize the suspect as his own mother. Steven cooperated with investigators, engaging Hayes in a recorded conversation where he expressed his suspicions. When questioned by police, Hayes maintained her innocence before leaving.
What charges were pressed against Joanna Hayes?
Joanna Hayes was arrested and charged with murder in December 2009, nearly eight months after the crime. She was charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during a felony. Despite the charges, she continued to maintain that she was innocent.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Joanna Hayes wore a "Sonny and Cher" style man's wig and fake mustache when she approached Heather Strube, 26, and shot her point blank in the head at the Target parking lot on Scenic Highway North in Snellville. It was purported that Hayes used these disguises to avoid recognition by onlookers and her grandson, who was 18 months old at the time and seated in his car seat during the tragic incident.
Joanna Hayes was sentenced to life in prison
Joanna Hayes was sentenced to life imprisonment on May 27, 2011, following her conviction by a Gwinnett County jury for the shooting death of her daughter-in-law, Heather Strube, on April 26, 2009, in a Target parking lot in Snellville. She appeared emotional upon hearing the verdict, visibly shaking her head and swallowing. Despite her protests of innocence, both Hayes and her mother reiterated her innocence outside the courthouse following the verdict.
Under current parole guidelines, she is set to become eligible for release in 30 years. Nonetheless, these guidelines may be modified in response to fluctuations in the state's prison population. Upon her eventual release, Superior Court Judge Warren Davis mandated that Joanna serve five years on probation, with the initial phase being intensive probation. Additionally, Hayes was instructed not to have any contact with the victim's relatives, including her grandson.
Following the tragic event, Heather Strube's parents, Mary and Buddy Allen, were granted custody of her son. They have endured each day with the constant fear that Hayes might also come after them. The conviction of Hayes brought tears of relief to their eyes, offering a semblance of closure amidst their ongoing anguish.
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