A 31-year-old area woman is in custody and has been charged in the death of a Slater woman.
According to a probable cause statement, at approximately 5:37 p.m. on Wednesday, February 3, Saline County 911 was advised that two subjects were entering a residence located in the 200 block of East Emma Street in Slater. When officer’s arrived on the scene, they made contact with two subjects who had already made entry into the home. One of the subjects was identified as Desaray Heyer of Slater. The second suspect, who has not been charged at this time, advised the officer that there was a deceased person inside the residence, stating, “She’s in there dead.”
The owner of the residence, who name has not yet been released, was entered as a missing person on January 30, 2021. Her family stated they last saw her on January 1, 2021.
When Saline County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on the scene to assist, he reportedly entered the residence and observed what he described as a skeletal hand protruding from the east side of a bed in a nearby bedroom. According to the deputy, the remainder of the person on the bed was concealed under multiple blankets and cloth items. When the deputy pulled down the blankets and cloth items slightly to confirm the presence of human remains, he described what he saw as a decomposed skeletal head, with hair, and broken facial bones. Authorities also found hair, apparent blood on a towel, and apparent blood on the floor of a nearby room.
The deputy also stated he observed, what he described as drag marks from the apparent movement towards the final resting
place of the body.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control’s Troop A Criminal Investigation Unit processed the scene, and numerous items of potential evidentiary value were seized from inside the residence.
A human body in an advanced stage of decomposition was located in a bed in a bedroom of the residence. The face of the body was unrecognizable. A positive identification is pending; however, the accused identified the body the homeowner.
Evidence at the scene led investigators to believe the body advanced through phases of decomposition on the floor of a nearby room in the residence, not in its current location in the bed. It is unknown at this time how or when the body was placed in the bed.
During an interview with Heyer on February 4, Heyer ultimately admitted to pushing/shoving the victim on approximately December 31, 2020.
Heyer said while standing in the victim’s living room, the two began arguing and having an altercation. According to Heyer, the victim stood up from being seated on the top of a bed, walked over to her, then struck Heyer in the head. Heyer said, after being struck, she shoved the victim to the ground. According to Heyer, the victim hit the floor or some other item with her back/neck/head area. Heyer said, the victim was lifeless and was not breathing or making any sounds that represented life. Heyer
said, as the victim laid on the ground motionless, with her eyes open wide, Heyer believed she had killed the victime.
Heyer said she panicked and ran to her home approximately one block away and told another person in the home. The two did not return to check on the victim until February 3.
At the end of the interview, Heyer reportedly wrote an apology letter to the victim’s family for her actions.
According to online court documents, Heyer is charged with a Class E Felony for Abandonment of a Corpse. Bond is set at $50,000 cash only.
Heyer was arraigned earlier today (Feb 5). A Release Hearing is set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 10 at Saline County Circuit Court.