NEW ORLEANS — A man convicted of the brutal murder of his New Orleans girlfriend was sentenced to life behind bars. Preston Higgs was accused of killing Liz Quackenbush with an axe.
There were many adjectives used in court to describe Liz Quackenbush, including, magical, fearless, beautiful, a woman with a massive heart.
Authorities say Liz was found killed in her home in the 1200 block of Desire Street in March of 2021. Preston Higgs was arrested four months later in Indiana following a nationwide manhunt. He was found guilty and was convicted of second-degree murder. During the trial, he admitted to killing her with an axe.
Higgs was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole or a suspended sentence. Quackenbush was only 39 years old. She was a chemistry teacher at New Harmony High School.
Before the Judge handed down her sentence, many read victim statements. Quackenbush's friends and family members wept as they read their prepared statements, many accepting the tears that continually fall for a woman violently taken from them.
A cousin who considered her a sister reminisced about their sleepovers at their grandparents. A friend spoke directly to Higgs saying, “You Preston took our beloved friend." Her sister-in-law said she was “undoubtedly the strongest woman” she knew.
Higgs did get the chance to read a prepared statement, he said Liz meant the world to him and he cherished her, and if he could he would breathe life back into her soul – and he asked the family if they could one day forgive him.
The judge however said he didn't offer an apology to the family instead only made excuses.
Three years ago, Liz Quackenbush was taken by a violent crime, betrayed by someone she once trusted. Her mother was forced to bury her own daughter, a loss that still haunts her entire family. Yet through the pain, Liz’s loved ones hold on to one truth: it was a blessing to have loved her.
At Thursday's sentencing, Quackenbush's family wore purple, it was her favorite color. It's also the color that represents Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which happens to be the month of October.