Murder in the Heartland on ID: What happened to Gregory Scott Collins?

The 2014 murder of the Casey ironworker, Gregory Scott Collins, brought the small town to a standstill owing to the brutality of the crime. Collins was stabbed to death while both he and his beloved dog, Gretchen, were burnt to death in their East Jefferson home.

The perpetrator was bitten by Gretchen during the attack and the blood spilled was identified to belong to the 19-year-old Thomas C Messina. According to the Herald-Review, a knife and a shotgun were recovered from Messina's relative's home while a small-caliber handgun was recovered from the crime scene.

The Murder In The Heartland episode titled Money is Motive airs on May 8, 2024, at 9 pm EST on Investigation Discovery and offers a synopsis that reads:

"Casey, Illinois looks to their own citizens when they find out a house fire didn't kill Scott Collins, it was murder; secrets revealed about his life aren't enough to lead to his killer, it's his German Shepherd, who holds the key to solving his case."

Who was Gregory Scott Collins and what happened to him?

Gregory Scott Collins was born on February 28, 1959, in Mattoon, to parents Joe Dale Collins and Patricia Ann Gillis. He grew up with four siblings including two sisters—Patricia Evans and Cori Shackelford, and a brother—Lonnie Collins.

Scott Collins graduated from Martinsville High School in 1977. He worked as an ironworker and traveled across the Midwest and South extensively. Gregory was a 35-year member and an integral part of the Ironworkers Local 44 in Cincinnati.

As a motorcycle enthusiast, Gregory owned a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail, which treasured dearly. His friend, Doug Shonk, spoke to Journal-Gazette & Times Courier to share:

"He was an all-around good guy. I enjoyed being around him. He would do anything for you. He would help you if he could."

Other than motorcycles, Gregory was interested in collecting different kinds of knives and enjoyed hunting in his spare time. His German Shephard, Gretchen, accompanied him on drives.

Gregory Scott Collins (54) and his beloved German Shephard, Gretchen, were found dead in their 700 block of East Jefferson Street home on January 15, 2014. Their bodies were found by the Casey Police Department during an arson investigation at the residence.

The two bodies were found in the fire, which was later found to have been set on fire intentionally. The autopsy reports from Clark County Coroner Jeff Pearce stated that the cause of Gregory's death was homicide.

According to a Journal Gazette & Times Courier report, Gregory Scott Collins was stabbed to death before his home was set on fire. The intruder was reportedly looting the house when he was interrupted by Collins entering his home.

Gregory Scott Collins' neighbor, Marilyn Fluckey Menser, spoke to the Journal Gazette & Times Courier to share:

"It really spooked a lot of us in the neighborhood when he was killed. I can't go by his house without thinking that someone murdered him in cold blood, it just sends a shiver up my spine."

The investigations into the arson led authorities to the perpetrator through blood drawn from a dog bite at the crime scene. The identification of the blood sample led to Thomas C. Messina of Windsor.

What was Thomas C. Messina charged with?

The investigations into Gregory Scott Collins' murder by the Illinois State Police Zone 7 and the Casey Police Department revealed the 19-year-old Windsor resident, Thomas C. Messina, to be behind the brutal murder. Messina was reportedly charged with three counts of first-degree murder, as per Tribune-Star.

Messina pleaded not guilty during his preliminary hearing and wished to move ahead with a jury trial. He was held at the Clark County Jail at a bond amount of $500,000.

Thomas Messina was sentenced to 45 years in prison on April 10, 2015, according to the Herald Review. As part of his plea deal, the charges of aggravated and residential arson, felony possession of a firearm, and aggravated cruelty to animals were dropped.

Catch the latest episode of Murder in the Heartland on Investigation Discovery.

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