A woman from Minot Air Force Base could face life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering her child’s father. The jury took about two hours on Tuesday to convict 26-year-old Heather Hoffman for the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Alex Eckert last April.
Prosecutors argued that Hoffman killed Eckert in his northwest Minot apartment during a confrontation about child support payments. Despite defense attorney Steven Mottinger challenging the state’s timeline of events and questioning the reliability of a witness who claimed to have driven Hoffman to Eckert’s residence that night, the jury aligned with the prosecution’s perspective.
Ward County State’s Attorney Roza Larson emphasized Hoffman’s apparent motive and opportunity, suggesting the murder was premeditated. Larson acknowledged the complex nature of the case, which has deeply affected both families and left a child caught in the middle.
Currently in custody since her arrest last year, Hoffman is slated for sentencing on December 1st in Minot. A pre-sentence investigation has been ordered by Judge Gary Lee. As of now, the families of both the accused and the victim have refrained from commenting on the verdict.
