A Minnesota woman shot her son to death after regaining full custody. Now, she will spend the rest of her life behind bars.
Hennepin County District Judge Jay Quam handed Julissa Thaler, 29, a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole for the shooting death of her 6-year-old son, Eli Hart. Thaler was found guilty and convicted by a jury of first-degree murder and second-degree murder.
In May 2022, officers responded to a 911 call after the defendant was reported driving with a shattered rear window and a busted-out tire. After Thaler was pulled over, officers discovered pieces of flesh and blood on her body. The defendant told the police the flesh was from a deer she had picked up and the blood from a tampon.
After driving her home, authorities later discovered the child’s body next to a shotgun in the trunk of her car. Soon, authorities discovered the defendant had just won full custody of the child ten days prior to the incident from the Dakota County Social Services (DCSS) after the victim’s father, Tory Hart, raised the alarm about Thaler’s drug use and mental health issues. Prosecutors argued Thaler shot her son 9 times while the child sat on a booster chair, according to CBS News.
Thaler’s defense lawyer, Bryan Leary, argued his client did not shoot her son but stipulated she was involved in his death.
The jury didn’t buy it.
During the sentencing hearing, Quam asked the defendant if she had anything to say before he sentenced her.
“I’m innocent. F—k you all. You’re garbage. That is all, your honor. Sorry, I told you what somebody else can’t,” said Thaler after Quam admonished her for her former statement, reported New York Post.
Family members described Hart as an innocent, kind, and an amazing kid that always had a smile on his face and made friends so easily.
Tory Hart has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against DCSS in a federal court slated for trial in 2024. Meanwhile, families and friends are raising funds to build a playground to honor Hart.
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