Woman convicted of Carmel oatmeal murder plot loses appeal over 'horrendous circumstances'
A woman convicted of killing a Carmel man after poisoning his oatmeal and strangling him while her child waited in a car lost her appeal.
Heidi Littlefield unsuccessfully argued there was insufficient evidence to prove the murder, her conviction violates Indiana's double jeopardy law, and that the sentence was inappropriate given her character. The judge disagreed, saying the "the horrendous circumstances of the crimes" do not warrant a revised sentencing.
Littlefield, 42, is serving 115 years in prison after a jury found her guilty of murdering Francis Kelley, 46, and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder last October. The two were in a custody dispute over their 2-year-old child at the time.
Littlefield and her adult daughter Logan Runyon sneaked into Kelley's house and put fentanyl in his oatmeal and miso soup.
In testimony against Littlefield, Runyon, 22 at the time of the killing, said they found Kelley struggling to breathe on the floor after their third poisoning attempt in January 2021. She said Littlefield went upstairs in the Carmel home, found his favorite necktie and tied it around his neck.
Logan Runyon: Daughter gives devastating testimony against mom in Carmel oatmeal killing trial
Why Heidi Littlefield's appeal was unsuccessful
Littlefield claims she's innocent. She argued in the appeal that while there was enough evidence to support her attempt to kill Kelley, nothing established that she did kill him.
She identified a different father of one of her children as a suspect. His phone records show he was near Kelley's house at the time of his death. IndyStar is not identifying the man as he has not been charged or arrested in connection with the death.
The judge responded evidence from the Kelley's autopsy and primary cause of death, asphyxia due to strangulation, were sufficient enough to support her murder conviction, according to the court brief filed Thursday.
More on Littlefield's appeal: Oatmeal murder case appeal points to new suspect, explores 'gap in evidence'
In response to her claim of a double jeopardy violation, the judge said that Indiana law upholds her conviction, writing that conspiracy to commit murder is a separate crime than murder itself, because "the agreement itself constitutes the criminal act."
Littlefield also argued that the 115-year sentence was inappropriate given her character, difficult childhood, alcohol abuse and lack of criminal record. The judge found the sentence fit based on Littlefield's multiple attempts to kill Kelley, manipulation of Runyon to participate in the murder plot, and the fact that she left her minor daughter in the car during the killing.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Carmel oatmeal murder appeal fails over 'horrendous circumstances'
