Husband arrested for wife's murder -- 28 years earlier -- after body found under barn

Booking photo of John Heath, who is accused of murdering his wife Elizabeth Gough Heath in 1984.

Police have arrested the husband of a woman whose body was found inside a well under a barn in Newtown, Conn.

Elizabeth Gough Heath was reported missing in April 1984, just days after John Heath filed for divorce. She was 30 years old at the time.

A father and son found Elizabeth Gough Heath’s remains in April 2010 as they were renovating the barn at 89 Poverty Hallow Road in Newtown.

For more, visit NBCConnecticut.com

They were working on breaking through badly damaged flooring when they found a covered well. Inside were pillows, blankets and a bag containing what looked like a human femur. It was.

John Heath, 68, of Bridgewater, was charged with murder on Monday, accused of killing his wife. He is being held in lieu of $1 million and is due in court in Danbury on Tuesday.

After the body was found, the medical examiner ruled Elizabeth's death a homicide. The cause was blunt traumatic head injury.

Land records show that John Heath owned the property until 2005, when he lost it to foreclosure. He reported his wife missing on April 6, 1984.

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Jump to discussion page: 1 2

Better late than never! I bet he thought he was scott free..

  • 14 votes
Reply#1 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:32 PM EDT

Now he is scott caught.

  • 6 votes
#1.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:36 PM EDT

Drummer for Fleetwood Mac ??

  • 6 votes
#1.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:00 PM EDT

I'd like to give him a "blunt traumatic head injury."

  • 3 votes
#1.3 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:33 PM EDT

The body was found in April 2010 and they didn't arrest him until April 30th 2012? Put down the donuts and do the job you should have did 28 years ago.

The surprising thing is that he didn't disapper into hiding during the 2 years of freedom he had after the murder was discovered.

  • 11 votes
#1.4 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:35 PM EDT

pjamo9--get a clue.

  • 6 votes
#1.5 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:37 PM EDT

Looking at the picture he's probably glad at this point. Three squares a day and free health care for the rest of his life...

  • 3 votes
#1.7 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:32 PM EDT

I don't know if he did it or not. It sounds likely however I bet they have a hard time proving it. I'm geussing he will get off.

    #1.8 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:28 PM EDT

    Ha ha!

    PJam09, you expect too much from CT cops, especially the ones in Fairfield County. The most investigating they do is to find out which teen dropped a joint behind the dumpster at the local high school. They are not equipped for homicide cases; certainly not cold ones.

    The police reports in most of those towns in Fairfield county mostly consist of "Car vs Deer on Main St" and "Scared person on 1st Ave". However, I can't wait to hear about what they DID do back in the 80s to find out what happened to the wife. I mean come on, the dude files for divorce, is the last one to see her and then reports her missing within days. Even with 80's technology it should have been crystal clear what happened!!!

    • 1 vote
    #1.9 - Tue May 1, 2012 5:07 PM EDT

    Friskie Kitten MEOWWWWW banned, re-reg of recently banned user Dark & Lovely-4739583.

    Mmmmm Good, Friskie Kitten, and Hog Maws and Chitterlings, also banned. All multiples.

    • 6 votes
    #1.10 - Tue May 1, 2012 7:02 PM EDT
    Reply

    Must suck when foreclosure catches up with a murderer.

    • 8 votes
    Reply#3 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:40 PM EDT

    Nah. He is in need of medical care (see O2 canula) and will get it for free from now on.

    • 4 votes
    #3.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:43 PM EDT

    If only those evil banks had forgiven or modified his self-incurred debt so that he could remain on the property he bought with their money, clearly this man needs to sue as he is clearly a victim of predatory lending and would be free man otherwise. (sarcasm)

    • 2 votes
    #3.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:41 PM EDT
    Reply

    DOH!

    -Homer Simpson

    • 2 votes
    Reply#4 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:50 PM EDT

    yer all rong, she ran away an hid out in da well. Y els did she got a pillo and blanket.

    • 3 votes
    Reply#5 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:53 PM EDT

    Probably because the pillow and blanket were covered with her blood and brains, and needed to be disposed of.

    I wonder if he drank the water from the well after he dumped her corpse into it?

      #5.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 5:13 PM EDT

      Yes, after he covered it and built a barn over it.

      • 1 vote
      #5.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 6:31 PM EDT
      Reply

      He is happy, now all his medical care will be covered. He will never be executed, from the looks of it he will die a natural death before all appeals are used.

      • 4 votes
      Reply#6 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:54 PM EDT

      Let me tell you as an RN it gets worse.This guy,when he gets sick,comes in and our job is to treat him like royalty.Yeah,the 'dignity fairy' comes along and blesses a person.Doesn't matter if they are illegal,pederast,murderer,they all get bjs by the staff

      • 2 votes
      Reply#7 - Tue May 1, 2012 12:58 PM EDT

      If you give this guy a BJ you need to be locked up, I would have pliers waiting........

      • 4 votes
      #7.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:02 PM EDT

      I have never been treated like royalty by a RN. Mostly I have always felt as though I was a bother to them and have always found that dealing with an RN an unpleasant experience. I believe they teach people not to have manners at nurse school.

      • 12 votes
      #7.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:05 PM EDT

      John. You are probably right. Might even be the Insurance companies that oversee the trainging- so you will hurry up and get the hell out of the hospital..

      • 1 vote
      #7.3 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:25 PM EDT

      pained1 -- sounds like you are in the wrong line of work! Do you think you should only treat people decently who fit your particular criteria?

      This man has been arrested, but not yet found guilty. Sure, he most likely is, but as an RN it is not your job to convict him. Yes, he looks a bit strange and unkempt, but he probably has some dementia going on. How else do you decide if someone is worthy of your "compassionate" care? If they have enough money?

      • 11 votes
      #7.4 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:49 PM EDT

      pained 1

      Bet you are wishing you could take your post back, eh?

      • 2 votes
      #7.5 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:27 PM EDT

      Nothing worse than having a sh%tty nurse. Please tell me where you practice pained1, so I can make sure I never ever get treated by you.

      • 7 votes
      #7.6 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:31 PM EDT

      pained 1 is probably referring to the fact that AFTER they are convicted, if they're illegal, pederast, murderer, you've got to treat them like everyone else.

      I agree it would be hard to treat convicted murderers and pedophiles...

      • 2 votes
      #7.7 - Tue May 1, 2012 3:03 PM EDT

      so you gove blowjobs to indigents all day?

      • 2 votes
      #7.8 - Tue May 1, 2012 3:27 PM EDT

      I would like a BJ and you would make it even more fun by being mean to me during........

      • 1 vote
      #7.9 - Tue May 1, 2012 3:56 PM EDT

      "Who do I gotta kill to get a bj around here?!"

      • 3 votes
      #7.10 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:19 PM EDT

      pained1 ~~ I think I understand the spirit of what you are trying to relate. There are those in need of medical attention, who have performed DASTARDLY DEEDS, yet you as a nurse, are responsible to care for all patients, as if they were saints. I would think it hard to do so under some instances, but because you are a trained professional, you give them the care they require. You do the best you can, because you are a NURSE. You take care of them until they are tried, convicted, and sentenced, should they be guilty. If they are found not guilty, then you still have done your part with a clean conscience.

      I'm sure his murdered wife would have been happy to lovingly take care of her husband in his illness, rather than suffering down in the depths of a cold well until her death. Too bad her murderer robbed her of that choice. Mystery solved.

        #7.11 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:36 PM EDT

        Some of you people as they say, "couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the heel"

          #7.12 - Tue May 1, 2012 8:22 PM EDT

          Remember pained1, no teeth and no hands... and I hope you like to swallow!

            #7.13 - Thu Jun 7, 2012 2:52 PM EDT
            Reply

            I'll bet he uses a Mac. He looks like a Macworld attendee just saying. Nothing against the OS.

            • 3 votes
            Reply#8 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:01 PM EDT

            Funny--I thought he looked like an NRA member, buddy of Ted Nugent.

            • 4 votes
            #8.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:40 PM EDT

            Yea, NRA members are famous for tye-dyed t-shirts and pony tails. (sarcasm)

            • 4 votes
            #8.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:44 PM EDT

            Good Lord! Please do not judge all RN's by this bitter person. Most of us still know why we became RN's. It was not to disgrace or humiliate anyone.

            • 3 votes
            #8.3 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:59 PM EDT
            Reply

            Dang. If looks could kill. Ha! Ha! They got you now buddy.

            • 3 votes
            Reply#9 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:07 PM EDT

            He should have filled the well with concrete.

            • 5 votes
            Reply#10 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:19 PM EDT

            if only he had you to work with....... sounds like you two would have been a great team.

            • 4 votes
            #10.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:27 PM EDT

            Everybody makes mistakes. OH Well.

            • 2 votes
            #10.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:33 PM EDT
            Reply

            Clearly, this behavior is a cry for help...

            • 2 votes
            Reply#11 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:29 PM EDT

            How about another liberal excuse... its Bush's fault.

            • 4 votes
            #11.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:46 PM EDT

            Tell me you were being facetious...please

            • 1 vote
            #11.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:48 PM EDT

            Its Hillary's fault.

            • 1 vote
            #11.3 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:50 PM EDT

            pjam, grow up. You are the first to bring in politics and your insinuation is completely inappropriate.

            • 6 votes
            #11.4 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:25 PM EDT

            ever notice how the first ones to make a Bush reference are teapublicans?

            • 6 votes
            #11.5 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:28 PM EDT

            All of you are wrong. It was Carter's fault and you know it!

            • 2 votes
            #11.6 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:34 PM EDT

            Except Carter blamed it on Ford.

              #11.7 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:55 PM EDT

              Reagan was in office when the murder occurred, so wouldn't it be his fault?

                #11.8 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:54 PM EDT

                Personally, I blame it on Washington. Him and his teeth.

                • 1 vote
                #11.9 - Tue May 1, 2012 5:12 PM EDT
                Reply

                Just goes to show that bad things happen when you don't pay the mortgage...

                • 3 votes
                Reply#12 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:29 PM EDT

                Wrong, yet.... Haha, good one.

                • 1 vote
                #12.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:07 PM EDT
                Reply

                So glad he was found out,,,maybe his wife's soul will be able to rest in peace now,,,or maybe she's just laughing her a** off,,,,can a spirit have an a**?

                • 3 votes
                Reply#13 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:45 PM EDT

                Not this one - she laughed it off.

                  #13.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 3:39 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  This guy is an idiot, he murdered his wife then hid the body on his property and got foreclosed on and did not remove the remains. I guess she did ultimately get the last laugh at this clown. Just one word KARMA, one way or another it will come back to you.

                  • 4 votes
                  Reply#14 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:53 PM EDT

                  It appears she was in a well that was covered. So he thought she was good and buried.

                  • 3 votes
                  #14.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:07 PM EDT

                  I'm calling the cops idiots. They surely did not search this property at all in 1984. I guess the name of the road, Poverty Hollow, denoted how much effort its residents would get in case of disappearance.

                    #14.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 3:28 PM EDT

                    bwaller78 ~~ I'm afraid I have to agree. Some people think they can get away with murder (for 28-years), so at this point so many years later, I'm sure he thought he was pretty slick, and that after this amount of time, he didn't have anything to worry about. WRONG! KARMA indeed.

                      #14.3 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:42 PM EDT
                      Reply

                      Wonder how 'cute' these comments would be if it were your family who died. RN's save lives as all hospital staff do (I am not in the medical field in any way, shape or form). They are a special breed of people. You should thank your lucky stars for them. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Ever think of that? To the actual issue, somebody lost their life at 30 at the hands of this man. Just sad.

                      • 2 votes
                      Reply#15 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:00 PM EDT

                      Crazy... Why kill her if you already filed for divorce?

                      • 2 votes
                      Reply#16 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:06 PM EDT

                      Maybe so she couldn't collect on the divorce? Pretty easy and logical explanation.

                      • 1 vote
                      #16.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:05 PM EDT

                      Could be he killed her because he's a MONSTER. Could be it was an ACCIDENT(?). Could it be SELF DEFENSE? No matter what, he HID THE BODY, which screams GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY. Wrong thing to do if it was an accident, or self defence. Some people don't have sense enough to connect the dots. Apparently this creep didn't.

                        #16.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:45 PM EDT
                        Reply

                        groovy shirt man, wonder if they crashed his groove when they arrested him or if he even heard em coming over the "Greatful Dead" music playing in his head

                        • 1 vote
                        Reply#17 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:10 PM EDT

                        I. HATE. HIPPIES.

                        See: Ira Einhorn. They talk about peace and love and then murder the women who leave them. And really, who could blame these women for leaving them? Have you ever smelled a hippie?

                          #17.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:32 PM EDT
                          Reply

                          Foreclosure affects everyone...

                          • 3 votes
                          Reply#18 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:11 PM EDT

                          My wife is a Director of Nursing. As we all live longer and require more help in our daily lives, she stands up for the patient and there dignity. She is a gaurdian angel for the patients rights and would fire with prejudice any RN with an attitude toward a patient. She would then call the licensing board to make sure they never practiced in any capacity again. Thank God most RNs are professional and not as judgemental as some in who receives what level of care. Napoleonic complexes run in all professions not just law enforcement. I wonder who has the most abuse...the one with the gun and the badge or the one with control of your pain meds? Either way the wrong person in either profession could cause you a world of hurt. Thank God not all people are on power trips that could be.

                          • 4 votes
                          Reply#20 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:18 PM EDT

                          Sounds like you are taking the power trip for your wife. While I agree that most nurses are under-appreciated I disagree with the amount of power you think your wife has.

                          • 1 vote
                          #20.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 3:43 PM EDT

                          Ralph Mortse ~~ I've been very fortunate to have had good nurses during all my stays in the hospital. If they get too busy and seem to put me on the back burner, I just call for them. Their attitudes have always been good. Could it be because I'm a good patient? Sadly, there are some nurses who may not care one way or the other, if their patient is cooperative or not. Some nurses get burned out, just like in any other profession.

                          • 2 votes
                          #20.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:49 PM EDT

                          If she is a director she doesn't do sh++. She makes higher and higher hoops for rns to jump through

                            #20.3 - Tue May 1, 2012 8:27 PM EDT

                            Funny how the good nurses don't have problems with the directors. Just the sh#ttastic ones who personally decide which person gets to be treated with respect.

                              #20.4 - Wed May 2, 2012 10:58 AM EDT
                              Reply

                              Hey, Just My Words ----- She wanted, no DEMANDED, half of his prized shirt collection as part of the divorce settlement. That was just something he simply could not abide by. He therefore chose to settle the case out of court. There are some things in life which one must simply fight for, even if it means FIGHT TO THE DEATH !

                              • 2 votes
                              Reply#21 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:19 PM EDT

                              As an nurse myself...I find it sad to see other nurses who think they know who should and who should not be treated with dignity. Get out of the nursing field if you're that jaded.

                              • 8 votes
                              Reply#22 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:27 PM EDT

                              You know nothing child

                                #22.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 8:21 PM EDT
                                Reply

                                If this a$$hole looks this bad I can just imagine what his wife looked like??? This guy looks like some Manson style hippie that ran a muck and now he is going to pay the price. As for the looks thing, if he is this ugly now he couldn't have been much better looking 28 years ago.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#23 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:30 PM EDT

                                i love the ratty pony tail in back and the, 4..no 5..no, 6 head in front.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#24 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:33 PM EDT

                                Wow it was a hippie version of War of the Roses. She wanted the Dead 8-tracks, and found herself 6 feet under. Sorry for the CSI pun. Thank goodness my taxes are going to pay for his healthcare in the CT penal system at 70,000 a year. UGH - what a scam - let's give him some medical pot while we're at it.

                                • 1 vote
                                Reply#25 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:40 PM EDT

                                Mamma Bear, I think he's had enough pot etc.

                                • 1 vote
                                #25.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:49 PM EDT

                                maybe that's why he went into foreclosure - his pot futures went up in smoke. Oh the puns just keep coming...

                                  #25.2 - Tue May 1, 2012 3:08 PM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  Awful. I'm glad he got caught eventually and that the wife can now have a proper burial.

                                  • 3 votes
                                  Reply#26 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:48 PM EDT

                                  So, it appears that on occassion something good does come out of a foreclosure.

                                  He'd still be free if he paid his bills!!!

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#27 - Tue May 1, 2012 2:49 PM EDT
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