Beth LeBlanc

Michigan.com

Dressed in orange and wearing shackles, a 44-year-old Port Huron woman convicted of killing her ex-boyfriend maintained her innocence at her sentencing.

"To the Allen family and my family also and all those that knew and loved J.R., I am heartily sorry for our loss," Judy Higley-Zuehlke said in St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael West's courtroom Thursday.

"…The assumption that I could hurt anyone, especially J.R., is ridiculous."

Higley-Zuehlke will serve 28 to 55 years in prison for the killing of 50-year-old John Robert Allen.

Allen's brother found him dead in his St. Clair Street home Feb. 3.

Medical Examiner Dr. Daniel Spitz testified the cause of Allen's death was strangulation with contributory factors of a puncture wound to the ear and blunt force trauma injuries to the head.

At the sentencing, Assistant Prosecutor Amy Stover said Allen had 35 additional injuries besides the three that caused his death.

"Three different ways that Mr. Allen could have died, but that wasn't enough," Stover said.

A jury of 12 in early October found Higley-Zuehlke guilty of second-degree murder, lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation, concealing the death of an individual and tampering with evidence.

The judge sentenced Higley-Zuehlke to:

• Two to four years for count one, lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation, with credit for 274 days served.

• Three to five years for count two, concealing the death of an individual, with credit for 274 days served.

• Five to 10 years for count three, tampering with evidence, with credit for 274 days served.

• Twenty-five to 50 years for count four, second-degree murder, with credit for 274 days served.

Counts two and four are to be served consecutively, making HIgley-Zuehlke's total sentence 28 to 55 years in prison. Counts one and three are to be served concurrently.

"We all strive for an ability to sit back and say justice has been served," West said, during the sentencing. "I think, in this case, that is something we can all say."

Stover read a statement from the Allen family during the sentencing. She said the family was traumatized by the "senseless act of violence."

"We will always wonder why Miss Higley-Zuehlke felt compelled to commit this horrible crime," Stover read from the statement. "Some family members cry, some have sleepless nights…"

Higley-Zuehlke's lawyer, Sharon Parrish, said Higley-Zuehlke maintains her innocence and will be appealing.

"Please do not take my life away for this — in which I did not do — and I will plead my innocence," Higley-Zuehlke said, during the sentencing.

Carol Wetzel and Sally Finch, former coworkers and friends of Allen, attended the sentencing Thursday.

"Tears just came down my face when they gave her the sentence for second-degree murder," Wetzel said, outside the courthouse. "…I kept telling him, 'Keep her away, don't let her in your house.'"

Finch said the sentencing gave her some closure.

"It's justice for John," Finch said. "He didn't deserve what was done to him."

Beth LeBlanc is a reporter for the Port Huron Times Herald.