MINNEAPOLIS — Julissa Thaler, the woman charged with shooting and killing her 6-year-old son last spring, was found guilty of murder Wednesday afternoon.
The jury found Thaler guilty of one count each of premeditated first-degree murder and second-degree murder in just under two hours of deliberations. KARE 11's Lou Raguse reports Thaler automatically receives a life sentence without parole for a premeditated murder conviction.
Eli Hart's body was discovered in the trunk of Thaler's car on May 20, 2022 after police pulled her over for a traffic violation. The boy had been shot multiple times with a shotgun, and a weapon was also found in the trunk.
Thaler was involved in a custody dispute with Eli's father Tory Hart. Following Eli's death Hart sued Dakota County Social Services, alleging that employees returned his son to Thaler despite concerns of alleged drug use and deteriorating mental health.
"On behalf of Eli’s family, Tory Hart would like to thank the jury, the court, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and justice partners for their good work," read a statement released after the verdict. "This is a tragic and heartbreaking event that could have been avoided if Eli had never been returned to a dangerous home."
Both the state and Thaler's defense team rested their cases late Wednesday morning. The defendant told Judge Jay Quam that she would not take the stand to testify on advice from her attorneys, and the defense rested without calling a single witness.
Prosecutors wrapped up their case by calling Orono police detective Kyle Kirschner, the lead investigator in the shooting death of 6-year-old Eli Hart. Raguse reports that Kirschner went over a "plethora" of details, offering compelling testimony on Google search items found on Thaler's computer and electronic devices.
Among the subjects Detective Kirschner says were searched:
- How to keep child away from other parent with visitation
- How to fake being home to the cops
- How much blood can a 6-year-old lose
- Qualifying accidental deaths
- How much does life insurance pay for dead child
Kirschner also told jurors about five insurance policies attempted in Eli's name.
During cross-examination defense attorney Rebecca Noothed brought up other discovered search terms, which included questions about blood bank and Red Cross blood donations. They implied the "how much blood can a 6-year-old lose" search is out of context, and actually regarded blood donation.
In the defense's closing arguments, attorney Bryan Leary conceded that Thaler "aided and assisted" in Eli's murder, but added, "she's not charged with a crime that they've proved."
Allard retorted, "There is no doubt who pulled the trigger."
Eli Hart's body was discovered in the trunk of Thaler's car on May 20, 2022 after police pulled her over for a traffic violation. The boy had been shot multiple times with a shotgun, and a weapon was also found in the trunk.
Thaler was involved in a custody dispute with Eli's father Tory Hart. Following Eli's death Hart sued Dakota County Social Services, alleging that employees returned his son to Thaler despite concerns of alleged drug use and deteriorating mental health.
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