Shivangi Sinha
In December 2015, police in Collinsville, Illinois, received a call from a woman reporting that her brother, Daniel Taylor, had died. Officers rushed to the scene and discovered a disturbing crime scene that indicated a homicide. As investigators began following leads, they identified two individuals who may have been connected to the case, though the situation was not straightforward. The case and the investigative process that led to bringing the perpetrators to justice are explored in ID’s ‘Signs Of A Psychopath: Something a Man Would Do.’
Daniel Taylor’s Remains Were Found in His House by His Sister
Daniel “Danny” A. Taylor was born on October 8, 1947, in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was raised by his parents, Helen and William Taylor, in a modest middle-class household alongside his two sisters, Debra and Cathy, with whom he remained close throughout his life. Taylor built a long career as a truck driver with Frozen Food Express, dedicating around 20 years of service to the company. After years of hard work, he eventually retired with the intention of living a comfortable and stable life.
Danny went for a family dinner on December 6, 2015, and was not seen or heard from afterward. He stopped answering calls from family members, and by December 8, one of his sisters went to check on him. She discovered his body and immediately contacted the police. Officers found multiple puncture wounds to his neck and chest, and severe slashes to his throat, which were believed to be the cause of death. A homicide investigation was launched right away to determine what had happened and identify those responsible.
Daniel Taylor’s Killers Could Not be Located Using Forensic Evidence
There were two immediate details that stood out to police when they examined Danny Taylor’s house. They found a large knife left at the scene, which they believed could be the murder weapon. There were no signs of forced entry into the home, but several items were missing, including Danny’s watch, a computer tablet, and other small belongings. This initially suggested a possible botched burglary, but investigators believed the door may have been opened willingly, which indicated that the offender could have been someone Danny knew. However, no usable forensic evidence was recovered from the scene.
Police examined Danny’s personal life and discovered that he was a regular visitor at a strip club called Miss Kitty’s. When they made inquiries, Eva Heisch, also known as Sandy, and her boyfriend Jessie Werley became people of interest. However, there was no immediate evidence linking them to the crime, and both initially refused to cooperate with investigators. On January 13, 2016, Eva agreed to a voluntary meeting with detectives, where she claimed that Danny was a close friend of both her and Jessie but denied any knowledge of the killing. She said he visited the club about once a month and usually only when he had money and said that he did not have much. Her unusually personal statements about Danny raised suspicion among investigators, but she ended the interview and left.
Daniel Taylor’s Killers Blamed Each Other For Committing the Crime
In June 2016, Jessie Werley was arrested on unrelated charges. On June 26, 2016, Eva Heisch voluntarily went to the police station and agreed to an interview. During this statement, she changed her previous account and alleged that she and Jessie had stopped at Danny’s house to borrow money, but claimed that Jessie became violent. However, as she continued speaking, her version of events kept shifting. She was subsequently arrested for providing misleading statements to the police. After about half an hour, she requested another interview, but soon became agitated. She threw chairs and insisted that she was not to blame.
Just days later, Jessie gave his own statement to investigators. He claimed that Eva had initiated the plan, saying they needed gas money and suggesting that Danny would have it. According to Jessie, she instructed him to park the car two blocks away before they approached Danny’s house and knocked on the door. He alleged that Eva asked Danny for money, and when he said he had none, she told Jessie that Danny would have to be killed because he had recognized her. Jessie claimed that he restrained Danny by the neck and stabbed him, but also implicated Eva in the crime, stating she was involved as well and allegedly retrieved the weapon and slashed Danny’s throat.
Eva Heisch and Jessie Werley Are Being Held in an Illinois Prison Today
Jessie Werley and Eva Heisch were charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery. Jessie had a prior criminal history, including a 2000 forgery conviction in Missouri, along with later convictions for assault and two misdemeanor marijuana possession charges. Eva also had prior convictions, including two counts of armed robbery in Maricopa County, Arizona, in 1987, and a further assault conviction in 2005.
Jessie pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to 40 years in December 2016 for Danny’s killing. Eva’s trial began in 2019, where Jessie testified against her. She was later convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery and sentenced to 90 years in prison. Jessie is currently incarcerated at Lawrence Correctional Center in Sumner, Illinois, and will be eligible for parole in 2056. Eva is held at Logan Correctional Center in Broadwell Township, Illinois, with parole eligibility set for 2101.
Read More: Daniel Greene: Where is the Killer Now?
