Daniels family murders
| Date | December 4, 1997 |
|---|---|
| Location | Santa Claus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Also known as | Santa Claus murders |
| Type | Mass murder and mass shooting |
| Deaths | Danny Daniels, 47 Kim Daniels, 33 Jessica Daniels, 16 Bryant Daniels, 8 |
| Convicted | Jerry Scott Heidler |
| Verdict | Guilty |
| Convictions | Malice murder (x4) |
| Sentence | Death |
The Daniels family murders, also known as the Santa Claus murders, occurred on December 4, 1997, in Santa Claus, Georgia, when four members of a family were attacked and murdered by 20-year-old Jerry Scott Heidler (born June 9, 1977). On the day of the murders, Heidler broke into the home of the Daniels, and he first used a shotgun to shoot and kill both 47-year-old Danny Daniels and his 33-year-old wife Kim Daniels. Subsequently, Heidler gunned down the couple's eight-year-old son Bryant Daniels, and 16-year-old Jessica Daniels, and kidnapped three other girls, one of whom was later molested by Heidler, from the home. After the authorities got involved, Heidler was arrested and charged with the four murders. He was found guilty of four counts of malice murder and sentenced to death on September 4, 1999. Heidler remains on death row at the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison as of 2025.