Heath Sentenced to 50 Years

John Heath, convicted of murdering his wife and concealing her body for 26 years, was sentenced to 50 years in prison Wednesday.

Heath's supporters, including his daughter and current wife, had asked Danbury Superior Court Judge Robin Pavia to sentence him to the minimum, 25 years. Their argument was 25 years was a life sentence for Heath, who is 70 in failing health.

Judge Pavia said Heath lived a good life for 28 years after murdering his wife, but in those 28 years he acted like a victim himself of a wife who had abandoned him and their daughter.

Their daughter grew up believing her mother abandoned her. John Heath kept up the story that Elizabeth Heath abandoned all of them, her parents, her daughter, her husband, her brothers and sisters, Pavia said.

"He's already had a 28-year reduction in his sentence," observed Assistant State's Attorney Warren Murray.
 
Elizabeth Heath's body was found buried under an apartment on Newtown's Poverty Hollow Road in 2010, where the family was living in 1984, when she disappeared. In trial, documents emerged from the 1984 investigation into her death that showed John Heath had told investigators Elizabeth had walked out of their house one night after taking cash while he was sleeping. She wasn't seen again for 26 years.

New owners of the Newtown property found her body buried under a floor in the accessory apartment. She was dressed in a nightgown and had apparently been buried in bedding from the house. The office of the Chief State Medical Examiner said she had apparently been beaten to death.

Heath declined to speak at sentencing, although he agreed he had the right to speak, but was declining. His attorney, Frank O'Reilly, said Heath planned to appeal his conviction. 

The daughter of Elizabeth and John Heath, Meeghann, asked her aunt to read a letter into the court record asking for a lenient sentence.

"The fact is no matter how many years you choose, the sentence will be a life sentence," the letter said. "He was a trustworthy and caring person as a parent. We knew we were loved. He treated everyone he met with compassion and respect. He always helped whenever he could."