Make wishtv.com your home page

Chilling Indianapolis murder case is the subject of a new book

The Author of “The Murderer Across the Hall” talks about her connection to the Heather Norris killing

12 and a half years after the crime, a key witness in the Heather Norris murder case is speaking out in a new book

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Heather Norris was killed 12 and a half years ago and one witness in the investigation is now sharing her story.

Chrystal O’Keefe said it is time to get her story out in order to heal. Also, October is Domestic Violence Awareness month.

O’Keefe lived with Joshua Bean when he murdered 20-year-old Heather Norris in April 2007. O’Keefe later testified against him, which resulted in his conviction and 68-year sentence.

“I can’t deal with chainsaws because of what he did to her,” O’Keefe said.

Bean later admitted to the killing and chopping up Norris’ body and dumping it across Indy’s south side.

“I definitely felt like I should have known something had happened there,” O’Keefe said.

O’Keefe and her then boyfriend moved in with Bean about a week before the murder.

“We had decided to split the rent three ways, live in a nice little house in Irvington,” O’Keefe said.

She never met Norris, but they did communicate over MySpace.

“So we had talked to her. She referred to herself as his girlfriend and then a week later she had ended up missing,” O’Keefe said.

What transpired over the coming days, weeks, and months is seared into O’Keefe’s mind.

“We unknowingly had painted over her ashes in the basement,” O’Keefe said.

Now it’s printed inside of a book entitled “The Murderer Across the Hall.” She details the steps Bean took to cover up the murder and dismemberment that took place in the home’s basement and even evidence she discovered after moving out. But she said she is not writing the book for attention or fame.

“I need it to raise awareness. I need people to know Heather and to understand what happened to her and that it can happen to anybody,” O’Keefe said.

After more than a decade of PTSD, therapy, and swirling thoughts, O’Keefe said releasing her story to the public is scary, but important.

“It happens everywhere all too often and it doesn’t really matter how old someone is at this point. It’s everywhere. We really need to break that cycle and I really wanted to work all of this out and be a better advocate for it… for Heather,” O’Keefe said.

“The Murderer Across the Hall” is available on Amazon and Kindle. O’Keefe says proceeds from the book will support the Domestic Violence Network and Heather’s Voice, an organization started by Norris’ mother after her murder.