Man found guilty of murdering ex-RPS teacher Liz Quackenbush will spend the rest of his life in prison

NEW ORLEANS — The man found guilty of murdering former Rochester Public Schools Liz Quackenbush with an ax was sentenced to life in prison by a judge in a New Orleans courtroom, according to the New Orleans website NOLA.com.

Calling the murder "unnecessary" and "evil," Criminal District Court judge Rhona Goode-Douglas said 40-year-old Preston Higgs will have no chance at parole, probation or a suspended sentence while serving the rest of his life at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

The sentence was handed down last week after a jury found Higgs guilty of second-degree murder in the slaying of Quackenbush, who was 39.

Higgs, formerly of Rochester, admitted on the stand that he had killed Quackenbush with a pickaxe but had done so in self-defense. But the jury rejected his defense.

Quackenbush's family and friends offered victim-impact statements to the court that made clear that no punishment would compensate for the loss of such a singular personality.

"There's no apology or punishment that will balance this horrible crime," said Michael Quackenbush, an older brother, according to NOLA.com. "Nothing will bring her light back into this world."

Quackenbush and Higgs had been a couple, but Quackenbush had sought to end the relationship.

Quackenbush's mom, Diane Holland, said no parent should have to bury their child, but the manner in which Quackenbush was murdered added to her grief and torment.

"I understand that we all die, but how Liz died haunts me every day and every night," she said.

Quackenbush was murdered March 3, 2021, at their New Orleans home. Authorities found her mutilated body in the corner of a room. Higgs fled and was captured four months later in Indiana by U.S. Marshals. Authorities allege Higgs' ability to elude authorities was aided by family who financially supported his travel across the country. He had been on parole for robbery and sexual assault that he committed in Minnesota when he was 19.

Higgs gave the court a statement that offered an apology to Quackenbush's family for taking her life but said his motive was more complicated than the case presented by the state.

"You will never get the truth from their twisted narrative," Higgs said.

The judge said Higgs lacked remorse for his crime before handing down a life sentence to Higgs.

"For you to take Ms. Quackenbush out like this was just so unnecessary and evil," Goode-Douglas said.

Viewed as a gifted teacher, Quackenbush taught at Rochester Public Schools Alternative Learning Center for five years before moving to New Orleans in 2019 to teach at a similar school. While at the ALC, Quackenbush used her love of nature and hands-on teaching style to inspire students who had struggled in school. She and a colleague pioneered a school community garden called the "Green Thumb Initiative" that created educational spinoffs from gardening and grant writing to beekeeping.

"She had passion, courage of conviction and firm sense of self," Holland said. "The day she died, I lost a piece of my heart."