Heidi Carter sentenced for murder, rape, criminal confinement

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - A woman who was found guilty in a murder, rape and confinement trial has been sentenced.

A jury found Heidi Carter guilty of all charges last month after deliberating for nearly 10 hours.

Carter was scheduled to be sentenced last week, but it was pushed back.

On Thursday, the judge sentenced her to a total of 65 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections.

She was arrested in 2021 after police say a couple she met online was beaten by her boyfriend, Carey Hammond.

[Previous Story: Evansville woman found guilty on charges of rape, murder, criminal confinement]

Police say Hammond later raped the woman and killed Timothy Ivy before being killed by police.

The sentence was given after victim impact statements were read in court.

The prosecution brought Ivy’s ex-wife to the stand. She talked about how Carter robbed her children and grandchildren of their father and grandfather.

The second statement was given by the rape victim, who also testified during the trial. She said, “my life was completely destroyed,” by Carter and added, “I don’t know when I’ll be able to recover.”

The defense gave a brief statement, saying they respect the jury’s guilty verdict, but do not agree with it. Carter’s attorney asked the judge to consider her mental health and substance abuse issues before giving the sentence.

Carter, who appeared on video after waiving her right to appear in person, spoke briefly.

She maintained her innocence and said she has been accused and convicted of crimes she did not commit.

Throughout the hearing, Carter looked stoic on the video screen, but appeared to become anxious and fidgety as the sentencing drew nearer.

The prosecuting attorney, Stan Levco, also spoke at the hearing. He asked that the judge consider giving Carter the maximum sentence for each guilty charge. He also asked that the sentences be served consecutively instead of concurrently.

Levco added this was a particularly aggravated crime.

“This murder and rape is one of the most, if not the most sadistic cases I’ve ever prosecuted,” Levco said during the hearing.

That statement carries some weight, as Levco spent 20 years as the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor.

The judge, at the advice of both the prosecution and defense, merged counts three and four for criminal confinement into one count.

He then sided with the prosecution, sentencing Carter to the maximum sentence for each guilty count; however, he sided with the defense, deciding the sentences will be served concurrently for 65 years.

“I think 65 would have been appropriate,” Levco said after the hearing. “If he would’ve given her more, I wouldn’t have said that was inappropriate. I certainly think 65 was a good sentence and fit the seriousness of the crime.”

The judge said Carter will be credited with 505 days for time spent in jail already.

Carter said she plans to file an appeal.

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