August 5, 2022
From Corning Police:
On August 5, 2022 at approximately 1:12AM members of the Corning Police Department were dispatched to a residence on Walter Smith Terrace (aka: Stewart Park Apartments), in the City of Corning, for a report of an unresponsive female.
Upon arrival, officers located an unresponsive female and began to administer life saving measures. The City of Corning Fire Department and AMR Ambulance arrived and also attempted to revive the female. Efforts were unsuccessful and the female died.
The City of Corning Police Department began a death investigation and with the help of the Hornell Police Department, the New York State Police, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, and the Steuben County District Attorney’s Office, was able to arrest and charge Brett R Heffner, age 29, of Walter Smith Terrace – Corning, with Murder in the 2nd Degree.
The investigation alleges that Heffner attacked 26 year old Keli Collins while she was in her Walter Smith Terrace apartment. Heffner and Ms. Collins knew one another but were not residing together. Each had their own apartment in separate buildings within the complex.
The investigation also alleges that Heffner stole the victim’s car after the murder. The Corning Police Department advised area law enforcement to be on the lookout for the vehicle. A short time after 2AM, the City of Hornell Police Department located the vehicle and took Heffner into custody without resistance. Members of the Corning Police, New York State Police, and Hornell Police continued the investigation in Hornell. At the same time, members of the Corning Police and Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, along with investigators with the New York State Police continued the investigation in Corning.
The investigation into the murder continues and updates will be released at a later time.
Heffner was arraigned in Corning City Court at 10AM this morning and sent to the Steuben County Jail without bail. Heffner is scheduled to re-appear in City Court on Tuesday, August 9th at 8:30AM.
