ST. PAUL  — The girls who grew up with Heidi Firkus thought they would all be friends forever.

She was an artist and she handmade cards, filling them with messages of hope for those closest to her.

She enjoyed bringing people together for dinner parties at the St. Paul house she shared with her husband.

“She just was unapologetically excited and loved life,” said Jessie Bain, who was friends with Firkus since they were on the same basketball team in elementary school. “She loved God and her friends and family, and she saw the best in people.”

Her closest friends never imagined she wouldn’t be there for their weddings. Or that she would not share in the experience as they became mothers.

Heidi Firkus, 25, was killed April 25, 2010. Her husband, Nicholas Firkus, told police that someone broke into their Hamline-Midway home in St. Paul about 6:30 a.m., and he grabbed his shotgun.

Nicholas Firkus said he struggled with the intruder, the gun went off and Heidi was shot in the back.

The case remains unsolved, with no one arrested or charged.

Police say their investigation continues and they have resubmitted crime scene evidence for additional DNA testing — since technology has improved over the years — as recently as last month.

Newly released information also provides the first public account of what Nicholas Firkus told a 911 operator. He has not spoken to the media.

Now that nine years have passed, those who knew Heidi Firkus miss and mourn her. And her friends are also angry about the lack of justice for Firkus and her family, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reported.

After Heidi Firkus died, her parents and closest friends found out that she and Nicholas were to be evicted from their home the following day because of foreclosure.

They are sure Heidi would have told them if she knew that, though her parents said Nicholas Firkus told them she did. Police reported that nothing in the house had been packed.

“There are so many things that don’t add up,” said Ashley Starr, who was friends with Firkus since they were teens.

Nicholas Firkus, then 27, told 911 that he heard someone break into their house on Minnehaha Avenue, near Fairview Avenue, according to a 911 transcript released by police at the Pioneer Press’ request. He said he woke his wife so she could run to the garage.

Heidi Firkus was the first to dial 911.

She reported, “Someone’s trying to break in to my house,” and gave her address. Then, there was a loud sound and a scream of “NO!!,” according to the transcript.

A 911 operator couldn’t reach her again.

Nicholas Firkus called 911 next, starting the call with, “Help me!” and, “Please, please, someone just broke in our house and shot me and my wife.”

During the call, he sobbed hysterically. He said, “Oh, my Heidi!” and, “My wife is dead! Please get here!” He also shouted “No!” repeatedly.

Firkus said he was in the kitchen with his wife. He said he was shot in his thigh and groin.

He answered the 911 operator’s questions:

— Is the person that shot you still there? No.

— What race was he? I don’t know.

— Do you remember what he was wearing? No, maybe a sweatshirt.

— Did you shoot back? No!

After Firkus talked with police, they publicly provided the description he gave of the assailant: A male, unknown race, 6 feet to 6 feet 2 inches tall, 200 to 220 pounds, wearing a dark, hooded sweatshirt.

Nearly three weeks later, police released a composite sketch drawn by an artist hired by Firkus’ attorney. In his description then, Firkus added that the man was black and 40 to 60 years old.

Firkus talked to police the day Heidi died. His attorney at the time, Joe Friedberg, has said he told Firkus not to speak to investigators further because he had “provided them all the information that he can possibly provide them with.”

A year after Heidi Firkus was killed, the supervisor of the St. Paul police homicide unit said Nicholas Firkus had not been eliminated as a possible suspect.