Heather Nicole Matthews was born on February 27, 1972, in Dayton, Ohio. She grew up in a difficult environment, facing poverty and instability. By her teenage years, Matthews had already struggled with substance abuse, particularly alcohol and drugs, and she was known to associate with troubled groups in her community. She became romantically involved with DeMarcus Smith, a teenager several years younger than her, who would later become one of her co-defendants in the 1992 Dayton Christmas killings.

At the time of the murders, Matthews was only twenty years old but was already on a path of destructive decisions. She lived a transient lifestyle and became involved in petty crime, theft, and associations with others who were vulnerable and unstable. By 1992, she was deeply connected with three younger individuals: Marvallous Keene, age nineteen, who would later emerge as the leader of the group; Laura Taylor, age sixteen; and her boyfriend DeMarcus Smith, age seventeen. The four formed a loosely organized street gang known as the Downtown Posse. Matthews was the oldest member of the group.

The Dayton Christmas killings began on December 24, 1992, when Matthews, Keene, and Taylor lured thirty-four-year-old Joseph Wilkerson to his home under the promise of sex. Once inside, they tied him up and ransacked his house. After stealing valuables, Keene shot Wilkerson in the chest with a Derringer pistol, and Taylor delivered an additional shot to his head. Matthews was present during the killing and assisted in the robbery. The three left the house in one of Wilkerson’s cars, later returning to steal the second.

Later that evening, the group was joined by DeMarcus Smith, and they killed eighteen-year-old Danita Gullette, who was shot multiple times after being robbed of her jacket and shoes while using a payphone. Matthews returned with her companions to Wilkerson’s house that night, using the property as a temporary base.

On Christmas Day, December 25, Taylor lured her ex-boyfriend, nineteen-year-old Richmond Maddox, into a fatal trap. As he drove her through the city, Taylor shot him in the head, causing the car to crash. Matthews was present in the following vehicle along with Keene and Smith.

By December 26, the group escalated their crimes. After robbing a woman named Kathie Henderson and stealing her car, they targeted a small Dayton grocery store. Sarah Abraham, a thirty-eight-year-old mother of three, was working behind the counter. After she complied with their demand for money and handed Keene forty dollars, Keene shot her in the head. Smith also fired at two other men, wounding Jones Pettus and narrowly missing Edward Thompson. Abraham died four days later from her injuries. Matthews remained outside during the robbery, acting as lookout while Taylor surveyed the store beforehand.

Later that same day, the group became paranoid about potential witnesses. They lured two acquaintances, sixteen-year-old Wendy Cottrill and eighteen-year-old Marvin Washington, to a gravel pit. Matthews and Taylor had discussed “jumping” Cottrill, while Smith feared that Washington knew too much about his involvement in the earlier shooting of Jeffrey Wright, who had survived being shot in the legs on Christmas Eve. At the gravel pit, Keene executed Cottrill and Smith killed Washington. Matthews was again present during the murders, making her complicit in the gang’s most calculated killings.

By the end of December 26, all four members of the Downtown Posse were arrested by Dayton police. Matthews was apprehended alongside Keene and Taylor when police trailed the group in a stolen car and cornered them at a house where Wilkerson’s stolen vehicle was hidden.

Heather Matthews faced multiple charges of aggravated murder, robbery, and related offenses. Initially, prosecutors intended to seek the death penalty against her and Keene. However, in exchange for a plea bargain, Matthews agreed to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated murder. In return, prosecutors dropped the death penalty option. In 1994, she was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences plus an additional 194 years for lesser charges. The court ruled that she would not be eligible for parole for fifty-three years.

Matthews expressed regret after sentencing, stating that she wished she had not become involved. She lamented not being able to marry her boyfriend DeMarcus Smith, who was sentenced to life in prison as well. Despite this, she was clear that her crimes had destroyed her life and the lives of others.

Heather Matthews has remained incarcerated in Ohio since her sentencing. She spent many years at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville before being transferred to the Dayton Correctional Institution. In prison, she eventually became active in mentorship and rehabilitation programs. She earned respect among fellow inmates and participated in counseling and religious programs.

In 2024, she was one of several incarcerated women to participate in the Marysville Women’s Art Project, which featured portraits painted by local artists to humanize inmates and shed light on their personal stories. As of 2025, Heather Nicole Matthews remains incarcerated, serving out her life sentence with no possibility of parole for decades.