Woman admits role in gruesome killing

Towanda, Pa. — A woman arrested in the grisly killing of a man earlier this year will testify against her co-defendants in a plea deal, according to the district attorney.

Summer Lynn Heil, 37, of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty on Thursday to abusing a corpse and covering up a death following the April murder of Michael Pruitt. Heil, along with Ronda and Terry Parker, were arrested after police received a tip that the three were burning Pruitt's body in a fire pit outside Parker's Bradford County home.

Heil was originally charged with several misdemeanors stemming from her involvement in dismembering the victim’s body and assisting Terry Parker in the burning and disposal of that body to cover up the crime. During her preliminary hearing on April 26, District Attorney Richard Wilson added one felony count of hindering apprehension or prosecution, alleging that Heil assisted the Parkers in order to help them avoid prosecution by covering up evidence of the crime. That charge was bound over by the Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox at that hearing, and Heil faced that charge along with the misdemeanors in the Court of Common Pleas.

"I am happy that Heil has taken responsibility for her actions by pleading guilty to the felony, which can result in up to seven years of incarceration in a state prison," District Attorney Richard Wilson announced. As part of the agreement, Heil will provide testimony against the Parkers in any future proceedings. The lesser misdemeanor charges will be dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

"During the plea proceeding, Heil acknowledged that she did not play any role in the killing of Michael Pruitt, which is consistent with all of the evidence set forth in hearings previously," noted District Attorney Richard Wilson. "However, Heil added some important pieces of testimony during her plea proceeding, confirming that she saw two revolvers at Terry Parker's apartment in Harrisburg shortly before the murders," DA Wilson added. He noted this is significant because testimony at the preliminary hearing suggested that Pruitt was killed with antique revolvers that were found in Terry Parker's apartment following the execution of a search warrant there.

Heil will be sentenced in December.