An Indiana woman who travelled with her son to a senior living facility in Virginia so she could kill her own mother will spend four decades behind bars.
Heather Cummings, 53, was sentenced on Friday to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of her mother, 81-year-old Cleo Loizides.
Mother Held Victim Down While Her Son Strangled the Victim with a Handbag Strap
Heather Cummings admitted to her role in her mother's death on June 30, 2024, and now her son will stand trial for the part he allegedly played. According to prosecutors, Heather Cummings held down her mother's wrists while her son, 24-year-old Clifton Cummings, allegedly strangled Loizides with a handbag strap.
According to prosecutors, Heather Cummings told her mother during the fatal act, "This is for the best. You know what you did to my dad."
According to court documents, at the time of Loizides' death, Heather Cummings — an Indiana resident at the time — confessed to being partly responsible for her mother's death after she and her son were charged with second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder on July 9, 2024.
'Just Let Go, It's for the Best,' Heather Cummings Told Her Mother While She Held Her Down
On June 30, 2024, Loizides was found unresponsive in her room at Commonwealth Senior Living. She was pronounced dead the following day. After an autopsy, the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide.
According to court documents, Clifton Cummings reportedly confessed to police that he was the one who strangled his grandmother to death with a handbag strap that was purchased at a Dollar Tree store in Virginia. Heather Cummings confessed to holding down her mother's wrists during the alleged strangulation and saying to her mother, "Just let go, it's for the best."
Heather Cummings Blamed Her Mother for Physically Abusing Her, Accused Her of Being Responsible for Her Father's Death
Prosecutors said in court that Heather Cummings also told her, "You know what you did to my dad." Heather Cummings spoke to the court during her sentencing hearing and accused her late mother of being responsible for her father's death. She also told the court that even though she suffered physical abuse at the hands of her mother, she still loved her and missed her.
According to prosecutors, Heather Cummings showed no remorse following her mother's killing and discussed how she planned to live a peaceful life after the trial and make a book about her father's photography.
Heather Cummings pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Clifton Cummings is scheduled for a bench trial on Aug. 4.
