Port Huron woman guilty of murder

Judy Higley-Zuehlke dropped her head into her hand when the jury read its verdict Friday.

The 44-year-old Port Huron woman was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of her former boyfriend, John Allen.

"Judy was quite shocked," her lawyer, Sharon Parrish, said, following the verdict. "She couldn't believe she was convicted.

"I suggested appeal was her next avenue."

The jury of 12 also found Higley-Zuehlke guilty of lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation, concealing the death of an individual, and tampering with evidence.

John Allen's brother, James, found him at his St. Clair Street home in Port Huron Feb. 3.

James Allen and several of John Allen's family members sat in St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael West's over the course of nearly two weeks, listening to testimony from more than 35 witnesses.

Assistant Prosecutor Amy Stover said the trial presented a lot of information for the jury to digest.

"We knew from the very beginning that this was going to be a long trial and there were a lot of pieces of the puzzle that needed to be put together," Stover said.

"They were able to take the time that they needed to unravel all the lies that she spun and kind of see the big picture."

The jury deliberated for about 30 minutes Thursday. They returned to court Friday morning at 9 a.m., and delivered their verdict shortly before 2 p.m.

Higley-Zuehlke was arrested Feb. 5 on three charges that did not include murder. According to testimony, one of Allen's neighbors and Higley-Zuehlke's son also were initial suspects in the crime.

Higley-Zuehlke was charged with open murder in May, after the release of John Allen's autopsy report and a report from Higley-Zuehlke's cellmates that she had admitted to the killing.

Medical examiner Dr. Daniel Spitz said 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.

Initially, Higley-Zuehlke told police she knocked on John Allen's door Jan. 31, but no one was home.

In subsequent interviews, Higley-Zuehlke admitted she entered John Allen's home Jan. 31 and found him lying in a pool of blood.

She told police she panicked, deleted some text messages from John Allen's cellphone and moved some items within the home.

Higley-Zuehlke did not testify during her trial.

She was remanded back to St. Clair County jail. Her sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 6.

Contact Beth LeBlanc at (810) 989-6259 or eleblanc@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @THBethLeBlanc.

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• Watch video of the jury's verdict at www.thetimesherald.com.