Frank Parlato
In The Incredible Story of Discredible Matt Sandusky: The Evolution of a Liar’s Tall Tale, FR discussed how Matt Heichel Sandusky, the sixth and last adopted child of Jerry and Dottie Sandusky — adopted when he was 18 — groomed his biological brother Ronald for a life of crime.
Matt himself went on to betray his adoptive father, Jerry Sandusky, by going to the PA State Police in the middle of Sandusky’s trial, ready to commit perjury.
His flip from loyalty to greed, with a fictitious story — that he suddenly remembered Jerry abusing him when he was a teenager — made headlines and changed the trajectory of the entire case, which led to his adoptive father’s wrongful conviction and virtual life sentence.
Matt, however, ultimately got a payday of $325,000 from Penn State.
His younger brother, Ronald Heichel, fared poorly.
A Job as a Carny
After a few years as a parking lot attendant at State College, Ron found employment as a carny near Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, preparing for the annual Grange Fair.
Ron lived in the bunkhouse with the other carnies, including Kermit Butts, 26, who was entrusted to drive the company truck. Driving back to the bunkhouse from the job one August night, they pulled into Snappy’s, a convenience store, and saw a brunette walking out. It took Heichel five minutes to get her number.
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The woman, Mirinda Sue Boob, 27, was a married mother of three, ages six months to six years.
In the following days, Kermit drove Heichel several times to meet Mirinda, dropping him off on state Route 45, where the Penn’s Cave sign is. The two would go off in her car.
Mirinda told Heichel she was married and her husband would not give her a divorce. Instead, he beat her, she told Ron.
Samuel Sherman Boob was a maintenance supervisor in the Centre County Solid Waste Authority, earning $37,000 annually.
He was handy. He restored old cars, motorcycles, and tractors. Over the last couple of years, he restored tractors for his four kids (one was from a previous relationship). He had three tractors done. He loved to cook. And his friends said he was always ready to lend a hand to those in need.
His friends also said Sam’s marriage to Mirinda fell apart when her compulsive shopping led to mounting debt he could not afford.
A Pretty Brunette
Mirinda was short and slender, with long brown wavy hair and brown eyes. She used gel, which made her hair look wet, like she had just come from the beach. And tan all year round.
She liked pedicures and manicures, hair appointments, and shopping. She was not tied down like some mothers. Mirinda’s parents owned a daycare in the area.
Mirinda could drop her kids off when she wanted to go to the tanning parlor, or had lunch appointments, shopping, or discreet meetings with friends like Ron Heichel.
After several meetings, the romance between Heichel and Mirinda blossomed. But Heichel was upset by Mirinda’s frequent stories about Sam’s abuse.
Fateful Sunday
On Sunday morning, Aug. 23, 2009, Heichel asked Butts for a ride from the bunkhouse to the Penn’s Cave sign.
When they got to the sign, Heichel asked Butts to wait for him. He walked off with a backpack. Butts parked his car on the side of the road and went into the woods to smoke marijuana.
At approximately 8 a.m., Samuel and Mirinda Boob awoke to prepare themselves and their children for church. Sam cooked the children’s breakfast, and before getting ready for church, he left the house and walked to the detached garage.
The first shot was fired inside the garage from a distance of a few feet. When the blast hit Sam, he stumbled and fell outside the open door.
The medical examiner later testified that Sam, trying to avoid being struck again, crouched down when that first non-fatal gunshot wound was delivered. He was in a fetal position when the killer placed the barrel of the gun against his back, and shot him again. Sam died instantly.
At 10:07 AM, she heard a loud boom and found her husband outside. “I think it was a gunshot,” she told the 9-1-1 dispatcher.
Ron Heichel returned to the sign by Penn’s Cave about 45 minutes after he left. Butts was waiting, and he drove Ron back to the bunkhouse.
Police on the Scene
Police arrived at the Boob home. Mirinda said while she was getting the kids ready for church, Sam went to the garage. She heard two shots, looked outside and saw her husband on the ground with a “big red blotch” on his side. Sam was still breathing when she knelt by him and bleeding from his mouth.
Asked who might have done this to her husband, Mirinda told police about Heichel. She said she met him six weeks earlier and asked him to install a pond at her property.
She told Heichel her husband would slap her around, and Heichel had decided to confront and rough up Sam.
“It must’ve gone outta control,” she said.
She told police her last communication with Heichel was by text. She said she turned her phone off after responding to one message from Heichel.
Mirinda could barely answer any more questions. She threw her arms toward the sky and yelled for God to take her.
The police found the murder gun in the woods, not far from the house. It was Samuel’s shotgun.
Mirinda Fears Police Suspect Her
Mirinda confided in her brother-in-law Ben Cort.
“I’m glad I got to hear Sam’s last words. I’m very glad that I got to hear him tell me that he loved me before he died.
“I saw him, and he was dying, and he told me he loved me.”
The pathologist who did the autopsy said it was unlikely Sam would have said anything. His lungs were blown out of his chest.
Ben knew Sam and her were having financial troubles because of Mirinda’s spending habits. He secretly recorded her.
Mirinda told Ben that while she didn’t know for sure, she suspected Heichel.
“I did get a weird text message on my phone. There was a guy that was going to do a pond that I talked to.”
“All I know is his name. I met him at Snappy’s.”
Heichel Arrested
On Thursday evening, Ron Heichel worked at the Grange Fair. The police pulled him out of a booth, took him into custody and charged him with murder.
He kept saying, ‘How am I charged with this?’
Heichel said he was shocked that Mirinda would blame him for the shooting. He was innocent, he said.
Texts Reveal Evidence
Mirinda may not have known that Verizon kept text messages for a time, even if the user deleted them.
On the morning of the murder, there was a text exchange between her and Heichel.
Ron (8:33 a.m.): You’re looking lovely this morning.
Merinda: Thanx. Going to church.
Ron: And is he going?
Mirinda: Yas. Soon making breakfast.
Ron: Will he come in b 4 breakfast?
Mirinda: Yep.
Ron: And you are sure you want the pond done
Mirinda: I would love to have the pond done.
Then, a minute later, she texts: He’s making the breakfast.
Ron: Who’s in the garage then? Did you see me out here when you came out?
Mirinda: Yeah, I saw U
Ron: Let me know when he’s in the house.
Mirinda: K.
Ron: Will he lock the *garage) door when he comes in?
Mirinda: Probably.
Ron: How can I get a key?
Then he texted: Well, you will have your pond. Very soon.
Mirinda: Thanx.
Ron: After church? B 4 Which do you want?
Mirinda: B 4, so you can go.
Ron: Yep. I’m thinking before. And you go to church for witnesses.
Mirinda: I will call my dad and talk to him to have a witness.
Ron: I’ll need the key, and please keep your kids inside.
Mirinda: They’re sleeping.
Mirinda: unlocked.
Ron: Is he in the house? Tell me when he is cooking,
Mirinda: Yes, eat cereal.
Ron: Can he c the garage?
Mirinda: Make it quick and no. He is good to go.
Ron: No kids.
Mirinda: Okay.
Ron: I’m in the garage
Mirinda: U will have to make noise in the garage. So he’ll go see what the hell’s out there.
Ron: Should it be locked?
9:49 a.m. was the last text message.
Mirinda: Yeah, you can. So you lock it.
At 10:07 a.m., she called 9-1-1
Another Boyfriend and Text Exchanges
There was another text exchange with a Centre Hall man named Wesley Decker. The exchange took place on the night before the murder.
Decker: the antique show starts on September 10th to the 13th. I got a thing in the mail today.
Mirinda: OK, hopefully he will be six feet under.
Decker: Yeah, oh my God.
Mirinda: Yeah, I’m gonna do it when he gets home.
Decker: Do what?
Mirinda: Take him out.
Decker: How?
Mirinda: his gun.
Decker: Does he have the bullets in it?
Merinda: Don’t know. I doubt. If nobody else will, I will.
Decker: make sure you get the right ones, or it won’t work.
Mirinda: I can’t do this anymore.
Decker: I know you can’t.
Mirinda’s Arrest
On Friday, Mirinda was about to attend the memorial service of her late husband when police arrested her, charging her with murder.
Decker Speaks to Police
Shortly after Mirinda’s arrest, Decker admitted to police he had an affair with Mirinda, and he met her the morning following the shooting.
Decker denied having contact with Mirinda on the day of the murder.
He said Mirinda had asked him to rough up Sam because she said he beat her up. Wes said he told her, “I can’t do that. I know Sam. I’m not beating him up. He’s a nice guy.”
A forensic analysis of his cell phone revealed he had no cellular communication with her that day.
Butts Charged
While the defendants were waiting for trial, police charged Kermit Butts with aggravated assault and assisting a murder suspect. He faced more than 20 years in prison. He decided to turn state’s evidence.
The Trial
Heichel’s and Mirinda’s cases were consolidated for trial, with the Commonwealth presenting evidence that Heichel laid in wait in the Boobs’ garage and shot Samuel at the direction of and with the assistance of Mirinda.
The co-defendants pursued antagonistic defenses, with Heichel arguing that Mirinda had shot Samuel or hired another person to do so.
Mirinda contended Heichel had killed her husband and was unaware of his actions.
It was revealed during the trial that Sam’s life insurance policy covered his annual salary, $37,000, and a $50,000 supplemental plan for Mirinda.
Sam also had two retirement accounts. One with $18,000 and $7,000 – a total of $112,000. Prosecutors alleged Mirinda killed Sam for the insurance money.
Butts was the first witness. He testified that about a week before the murder, he drove Heichel to see Mirinda when Heichel asked for help disposing of Samuel Boob’s body, whom he planned to kill, and with Mirinda’s help, split the insurance money.
Butts said he refused, even after being offered $5,000 in insurance money for his help.
Butts further testified that on the day of the murder, as he drove Heichel to RT 45, Heichel told him he planned to confront Samuel about his abuse of Mirinda, adding he would kill him.
Butts pulled the vehicle over and told Heichel he didn’t want anything to do with the plan. Heichel suddenly attacked, choked, and threatened to kill Butts. In fear, Butts drove Heichel to the Penn’s Cave sign.
Heichel told him to wait and left carrying a backpack.
After about 45 minutes, he returned and thanked him for waiting.
Sam’s father testified that if Sam wanted to put a pond in, he would not pay somebody. He said, “I own a skip loader, and we could have easily put a pond in his yard.”
Strange Attraction
A cellmate of Heichel’s described a conversation he had with Heichel.
He said he told Heichel in his cell, “you have strong feelings for her.”
Heichel said, “True. There is another guy with whom she had an affair. I cared about her. She wasn’t always honest with me about things. And it began to cause problems.”
Verdict and Sentence
The jury found Heichel and Mirinda guilty of first degree murder.
As they were led out of court, a reporter asked Mirinda how she felt about the verdict. “It sucks,” she said.
They asked Heichel. He said, “God have mercy on their souls.”
They were sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Mirinda remains incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution – Muncy in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Ron resides at the State Correctional Institution – Mahanoy in Frackville, Pennsylvania.
Heichel continues to claim he is innocent, and says either Mirinda killed Sam herself or hired another man to do it.
Conclusion
Jerry Sandusky intervened in many young lives.
Had he intervened in Ron’s, he might not be where he is today. On the other hand, Ron would have likely gotten in line with stories of fictitious abuse, like his brother Matt had done.
Sandusky called his charity Second Mile after Matthew 5:41, “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”
I submit to those who in the future might consider trying to go a second mile with such as Matt, Ron and the other villain-false accusers in the Sandusky case, Matthew 7:6,: “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”
It would have been better had Sandusky left Matt in the hog sty trailer where he belonged. Perhaps he, like his brother, would be in the cell instead of the innocent Jerry Sandusky. It may not be too late to see that happen.
Frank Parlato is an investigative journalist, media strategist, publisher, and legal consultant.
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Some people wonder why Mirinda didn’t just leave Samual. That’s because she’s a cheating, greedy white trash whore that didn’t leave Samual because she wanted his life insurance. Unbeknownst to Mirinda and Ronald Sam had his life insurance transferred to his children. Thank god that they were arrested so soon after the cold blooded murder of Sam or once they found out that the children were the beneficiaries they would have killed them, gotten rid of the bodies and then claimed that they just disappeared off the face of the earth and that they had absolutely no clue where they were. They both still have the audacity to lie through their teeth claiming they are innocent. That is a bold faced lie. They were just saying that in order to get away Scot free with cold blooded murder. Thank god the judge and jury saw through their self serving lies..
Good story but did you make up the names ?
What baffles me about the whole Jerry Sandusky thing is he still has his idiot faithful supporters to this very day. Hope he is having a very limp time being incarcerated by other inmates.Do you remember Jerry Sandusky? All those kids he abused for years and years, these sick fuks are literally everywhere, terrifying
It’s too easy to make jokes about names. This was a ghastly murder.
Frank-
Heichel, Boob, & Butts!!!
You know your audience well. When I read those captions – I was compelled to read this story.
Side note:
Mrs. Boob must have that
*voodoo pussy. She had one man murder her husband – so she could be with a third man, who knew about the murderer she was screwing. WTF?
Interesting article again by the great investigative journalist. It begs the question that if Miranda was truthful about being heated by her husband, why wouldn’t she go to the police? She was brave enough to have him murdered but too scared to go to the police. Ron and Matt both took the same math classes. Matt took in $325,000 and Ron was going to split the insurance money which was far less than Matt’s haul. Two very stupid people. Still waiting for Matt to come clean.