Shaler detective urged wife charged in Capitol riot not to go to Washington, chief says
Mike Heinl repeatedly asked his wife not to go to Washington, D.C., in early January, according to his boss.
The Shaler police detective — who is attached to the FBI Pittsburgh Violent Crimes Task Force — didn’t condone Jennifer Marie Heinl’s participation in the events at the Capitol, Shaler police Chief Sean Frank said Friday.
According to Allegheny County’s Department of Court Records, Mike Heinl filed for divorce on Feb. 19. He and his wife were married in October 2013, according to Allegheny County’s Department of Court Records.
On Thursday, Jennifer Heinl was arrested by the FBI and is charged with four counts related to the Jan. 6 attacks in the Capitol.
She was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.
“He happens to be married to her,” Frank said. “Mike is not a subject of investigation.”
A message left for Mike Heinl was referred to the chief.
Heinl has been an officer in Shaler for 30 years, his chief said. He has been assigned to the FBI task force for about three years.
His specialties, Frank said, are bank robberies and child predator cases.
“We have nothing to add, officially,” said FBI Pittsburgh spokeswoman Catherine Policicchio.
Frank said that Mike Heinl did not condone Jennifer Heinl going to D.C.
“In fact, he asked her not to go,” the chief said. “She apparently told him ‘I’m going to the rally.’
“He had no idea it would be more than that.”
Mike Heinl did not know his wife would enter the Capitol building, according to Frank.
The FBI agents investigating the attacks said in a criminal complaint against Jennifer Heinl that she entered the Capitol building with another man, Kenneth Grayson of Bridgeville, and that the two had been in communications through Facebook Messenger for several weeks, including discussing travel arrangements.
“She’s responsible for her actions,” Frank said. “It’s unfortunate he’s becoming the focal point of this investigation.”
Frank said he would not speculate on the detective’s personal life.
As an officer, he said, Mike Heinl has received multiple commendations for his work with the FBI and is known for being a very thorough investigator.
He is an expert negotiator and leads the North Hills Special Response Team.
“He’s very disappointed in the actions of his wife,” Frank said. “He doesn’t blame the FBI.
“They have a job to do.”
Paula Reed Ward is a TribLive reporter covering federal and Allegheny County courts. She joined the Trib in 2020 after spending nearly 17 years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team. She is the author of "Death by Cyanide." She can be reached at pward@triblive.com.
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