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Authorities still tight-lipped on investigation
Detectives reveal Linda Heidt made call to 911
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Heidt news conference

Portion of Wednesday's press conference

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Authorities still aren’t giving many details or answers surrounding the fatal shooting of two Effingham County men early Monday morning, but they say progress is being made in the investigation.

Effingham County Sheriff’s Detective David Ehsanipoor also confirmed at a news conference Wednesday afternoon that Linda Heidt made the 911 call to alert authorities to the multiple shooting that claimed the lives of her husband Philip and son Carey.

“In the past 18 to 24 hours, we have made headway in this investigation,” Ehsanipoor said. “We are making significant progress in the case.”

Authorities have yet to make an arrest in the case, Ehsanipoor said.

Philip Heidt, 59, had been a longtime realtor and developer in Effingham County. Carey, 32, followed in his path as a real estate agent. Both men were affiliated with Coldwell Banker Intercoastal Realty in Rincon.

The Heidts were members of Bethel Lutheran Church.

“On behalf of Bethel Lutheran Church, our community is deeply saddened by the deaths of Mr. Philip Heidt and Mr. Carey Heidt,” Pastor Shelley Nelson-Bridger said in a release. “Both were significant members of the church and the wider Effingham community. We continue to hold Mrs. Heidt in our prayers as she is still hospitalized. We invite you to pray with us and the entire family.”

The family also requested the respect for their privacy, according to the release.

Philip Heidt had been president of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce and was on the board of directors at Citizens Bank of Effingham. His death and his son’s death have stunned the community.

“This is a horrific crime that has really shocked the community,” Ehsanipoor said. “We are working around the clock and we’re going to bring whoever was involved in this case to justice. We will continue to work until they are brought to justice.”

Ehsanipoor also declined to give any details about Linda Heidt’s call to 911 around 3:30 a.m., reporting a shooting, or what deputies saw when they arrived at the house on Springfield-Egypt Road.

“We’re not releasing anything else about the 911 call. It is crucial evidence right now,” he said.

More than a dozen sheriff’s detectives and Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents have been working around the clock on the case, according to Ehsanipoor.

“The GBI also has been very helpful in this investigation,” he said. “We’re working different leads right now. We have good, solid leads.”

Ehsanipoor also said he wanted to put a number of the rumors that have been surrounding the case to rest but would not delve into the exact nature of those stories.

Deputies closed off an extended stretch of Springfield-Egypt Road on Monday as detectives and emergency crews swarmed over the house. Several items have been removed from the residence and have been taken to the GBI crime lab for examination.

“We are still working at it right now,” Ehsanipoor said. “We have investigators going through evidence and tying up loose ends.”

But particulars of the investigation are being kept under close wraps. Ehsanipoor would not delve into where Philip and Carey Heidt were found in the house nor what kind of weapon was used.

“There’s a lot of stuff we’re still holding off on,” he said. “We don’t want to comment on anything in reference to this investigation that could possibly jeopardize it. There are certain things we’re trying to sift out. Technically, we’re still in the early stages of the investigation. It’s complex, and it’s going to take time but we’re going to do it right and we’re going to do a thorough investigation.”

Ehsanipoor also said they would not comment on if investigators had talked to Linda Heidt, who remains hospitalized. He also would not say if there is one suspect or more than one.

“We’re doing a very thorough investigation of this double homicide. We’re going to make sure we don’t miss anything,” he said.

How long investigators will be at the house Ehsanipoor could not say.

“We’re going to keep working this case until we get this puzzle put together and get all these unanswered questions answered,” he said. “This has sparked a lot of interest. They are well-respected and well-known in this community. The community is shocked at what happened here.

“We want the community to know what’s going on. At the same time, we’re building a case here. Our number one priority is to build the case and prosecute the case.”