MINOT – The trial of a mother charged with the murder of her child’s father, has been delayed until September 9. The trial of Heather Hoffman, 22, originally set for April 24, was previously bumped to June 26, and now Sept. 9.
The change in dates has reportedly been necessitated by the availability of witnesses and other legal considerations.
Hoffman is facing a single charge, Murder-Intentional of Knowing-Adult victim, a AA felony that carries with it the possibility of a life sentence without parole.
During her initial court appearance on April 27 of this year, Judge Gary Lee told Hoffman that, “The murder of one parent by another is the ultimate act of child abuse.” Bond was set at $500,000. Hoffman remains incarcerated at the Ward County Jail.
The case against Hoffman had its beginnings in the early morning of April 22, 2023 when Minot Police responded to a city residence and discovered a man lying face down in the doorway of an apartment. According to an affidavit filed with the court, a .45 caliber shell casing was recovered at the scene and that an autopsy later retrieved a bullet from the victim. The bullet reportedly matched those remaining in a firearm left at the location of the shooting.
Hoffman, who was residing at Minot Air Force Base, was arrested by Minot Police on April 26, 2023, for the murder of Alexander Eckert, 22. Hoffman and Eckert were involved in a custody dispute over their 1-year-old daughter at the time of the incident.
