After spending 13 years of a life sentence in a Florida prison for the 1994 murder of his pregnant sister-in-law, the 34-year-old central Wisconsin native, who never ceased claiming his innocence, was released in December after DNA evidence exonerated him and his sentence and conviction were dismissed.

That DNA evidence, none of which matched Heins, was not brought to light until 2001 when Heins contacted The Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal group that aims to overturn wrongful convictions through DNA testing. Even then it took another six years for the tests to absolve him.

Now a free man, Heins said despite everything he has gone through he has no bitterness about the ordeal.

"I'm just happy to be out," he said. "I mean, I was bitter while I was doing time, but I'm not bitter now."

Heins moved back to Nekoosa to live with his parents as soon as he got out and eventually landed a job with the Central Sands Dairy.

It wasn't easy getting on his feet, though. During his job search, he found the biggest impediment wasn't his record but his lack of work experience. It wasn't until after he'd showed up at the dairy farm twice a week for several weeks that he got a job there.

Since then, he's been named head mechanic and works 80 hours a week fixing everything and anything that breaks on the 4,500-head dairy farm.

What little free time he has he spends enjoying his new freedom.

"I can do what I want," he said. "There ain't nobody going to tell me when I can go to the bathroom or bathe. Freedom."

Since returning to Wisconsin, he has reconnected with about a dozen friends he knew before he was imprisoned. He also tries to keep in touch with a couple friends who are still locked up in Florida.

"Since I got a job, it's been harder to write (to them) because I have to work about 14 hours a day," he said. "I

just come home and bathe and eat and then usually go to sleep."

Perhaps the most profound thing he's been able to do since being released, however, is to spend time getting to know his two children, who were born just before he was arrested, and who never saw him in his 13 years in prison.

They are now 14 and 15 years old, and despite how difficult it sounds to try to get to know two early teens after so long away, he said that part of his life is going well, too.

Their mother got married about five years ago, but she and Heins have been talking since his release, and he appreciates the time he gets to spend with his kids.

As for the tragedy that precipitated his incarceration, Heins said he still hasn't talked to his brother, whose wife he was originally accused of murdering, but he mostly tries not to think about it.

"I really don't like thinking about it," he said. "It's in the past, and I want it to stay there."

His new life is uncertain. One of the conditions of his release is an agreement that he could stand trial again should any more evidence be found to re-implicate him. But for now, he said he spends most of his time and energy working toward his new future.

"Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I thank God that I'm out."

— Nick Heynen

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