Heather Hoffman: Montana woman who killed ex-boyfriend amid fight over child support payments sentenced to life without parole

MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA: A Minot Air Force Base woman convicted of killing her child's father has been sentenced to life in prison without the chance of release by the courts.

A jury found 26-year-old Heather Hoffman guilty in September of AA-felony murder in connection with the shooting death of 22-year-old Alex Eckert in April 2022.

Heather Hoffman and Alex Eckert disagreed about child support

Prosecutors claimed during the trial that the two had a continuous disagreement about child support payments.

According to the prosecution, Hoffman confronted Eckert about the issue and then fatally shot him in the entryway of an apartment building in northwest Minot.

Hoffman's lawyer questioned the chronology of events on the night Eckert was killed during the trial, as well as the veracity of Hoffman's acquaintance's testimony that he drove her to Eckert's apartment without knowing her plans.

During Friday, March 15's sentencing, Eckert's family members gave testimony. Hoffman insisted on her innocence throughout the sentencing and stated that she planned to file an appeal.

”I can easily tell you that Alex was one of the most intelligent people that I’ve ever met, I humbly ask the court that Ms. Hoffman, a murderous child abuser, receive the just sentence of life in prison without parole,” said Ryan Eckert, father of Alex Eckert, as reported by KFYR-TV.

Heather Hoffman convicted of Alex Eckert's murder

Hoffman insisted that Eckert's death was the fault of others when she was given the opportunity to speak. She gestured to the man who, according to investigators, drove Hoffman to Eckert's house without her knowledge. 

”Claiming he’s stupid is the only way to cover why he is not also incarcerated in the discovery. He was told they’d rather him be a witness than a suspect and coerced and coached him until the story matched the script,” said Hoffman.

”I am not the monster that everybody’s painting me to be,” she added. Hoffman's lawyer accepted that she would have to serve time in prison, but recommended a 35-year sentence.

”Frankly judge, this is one of the strangest sentencing hearings I’ve ever participated in the 44 years I’ve been doing this,” said Steven Mottinger, attorney for Heather Hoffman.

Judge Gary Lee granted life in prison without the possibility of parole. ”The facts as presented to the jury and as I briefly touched on above, pointed to an intentional premeditated planned attack on Alex Eckert and that attack ultimately took his life,” said Lee.

Hoffman's legal representative stated that she had already requested that he submit an appeal. The child is being cared for by the family of Eckert.