Posted on

The family is outraged when Martin Heidgen is released from prison after beheading LI flower girl Katie Flynn

The family is outraged when Martin Heidgen is released from prison after beheading LI flower girl Katie Flynn

The drunken driver who beheaded seven-year-old flower girl Katie Flynn and also killed her family’s chauffeur after a wedding on Long Island has been released from prison – sparking outrage among the victims’ families.

Martin Heidgen, 43, who served 19 years behind bars for second-degree murder in the July 2, 2005, shooting on Meadowbrook Parkway in Freeport, walked out of prison Wednesday after being granted parole, the state Department of Correction said with Community supervision was confirmed on Sunday.

For the families of little Katie and murdered limousine driver Stanley Rabinowitz, the system failed.

When Martin Heidgen killed Katie Flynn and Stanley Rabinowitz in 2005, his blood alcohol content was over three times the legal limit. AP
Flynn had been a flower girl at her aunt’s wedding in Bayville in 2005 when she was killed by Heidgen 19 years ago. James Messerschmidt

“This liberalism is a bullet in the back of families suffering from the loss of their loved ones,” said Joyce Rabinowitz-Schuster. the driver’s widow said in an email to The Post.

“There is no accountability in New York State anymore. The murder should be at least 25 years old. Because of this dismissive attitude, crime is increasing in New York and it must stop,” she wrote.

“My family and the Flynn and Tangney families [Katie’s maternal grandparents] Every day this crime and the hundreds of other friends and family members of the victims involved in this murder become aware of this crime,” said Rabinowitz Schuster. “Shame on the parole board for releasing a murderer.”

Heidgen, who was 24 at the time of the fatal accident, had been driving his pickup truck nearly 3 miles in the wrong direction when he crashed head-on into the sedan as it was returning from an idyllic family beach wedding in Bayville.

According to authorities, his blood alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit at the time of his accident.

In the limo were Katie, her little sister Grace, 5, her parents Neil and Jennifer Flynn, and Jennifer’s parents Denise and Chris Tangney, a retired Nassau County police officer.

The wedding was for Jennifer’s sister.

In a statement to Newsday that first reported Heidgen’s release, Katie’s parents said the parole board’s decision to release their young daughter’s killer has had a “profound impact” on the family.

The driver of the family’s wedding limousine was also killed in the accident on Long Island’s Meadowbrook Parkway. Seth Gottfried
Heidgen, then 24, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison. New York Post

“We asked that the public know our sadness and feel our pain,” Jennifer Flynn told the outlet. “Katie was murdered as a 7-year-old girl; Where her murderer lives, whether incarcerated or on probation, makes no difference in our lives.

“We recognize that our news cycle is over, but we hope your readers think of us and that we influence their decisions.”

Heidgen was sentenced to 19 years to life in prison after being convicted of two counts of murder, three counts of first-degree assault and tampering with evidence, state officials said.

The convict tried to appeal the verdict after his imprisonment, but was shot down.

A spokesman for the state DOCCS said Sunday that a parole board granted Heidgen a conditional release on Aug. 13 and that he was released Wednesday.

Stanley Rabinowitz was driving the family’s rented limousine when he was killed along with the 7-year-old. Received from NY Post

Conditions of his release include that he remain in the state unless he is granted permission to leave.

Heidgen’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Post, but said in a statement to Newsday that his client continues to be haunted by the tragedy.

“Both Marty and his family are grateful to the parole board for recognizing that it is appropriate for Marty to be released on parole and allow him to re-enter society and become a productive and constructive member of our community,” said the lawyer Stephen LaMagna the socket.

“He remains forever remorseful for all the pain he has caused to so many and continues to pray for them and their families,” LaMagna said in the statement.