COLUMBUS — The Columbus man convicted of murdering his girlfriend and burying her in a shallow grave in August 2021 has been sentenced to 85 years in prison.
Patrick Doyle, was sentenced to 65 years for the death of Heather Ann Steuver, 37, and was given an additional 20 years for a habitual offender.
Habitual offender is a status that results in an enhanced sentence. It is not a separate crime and does not result in a consecutive sentence.
According to court documents, Heather Steuver, 37, was reported missing on August 26, 2021 by her mother. Later that day, Steuver's mother found blood in the bedroom shared by Steuver and Doyle.
According to court records, on September 9, 2021 Doyle told an investigator he woke up on August 22 and found Steuver dead next to him. He said there was blood on himself and injuries to Steuver's face.
"Patrick was adamant that he had physically caused Heather's death but he was unsure how he did so because he was intoxicated at the time," the affidavit read.
Doyle then told authorities he took Steuver's body to the company where he worked and covered her body with rocks. He also put her belongings in a pillowcase and threw them into a lake on the property.
A jury was brought in from Shelby County for the trial due to media coverage.
During the investigation, Doyle was found to be in possession of child pornography, which he is scheduled to be in court for in March.
He is scheduled to go to trial for those charges in April.
