Man says severed deer hoof and ear were innocent gifts

A high school teacher charged with “terrorizing” his ex wife and children by leaving severed deer parts at their home told a court the deer ear and hoof were gifts for his daughter to “play with.”

Portsmouth High School media teacher, Nathaniel Heard, 51, of Hampton, was arrested in April on two counts of criminal trespassing, a charge alleging criminal threatening and a count of stalking. The charges allege Heard left the deer parts at the residence to frighten the family, trespassed against and stalked his former wife after being court-ordered to have limited contact with her under specific conditions.



Heard's attorney, Vincent Marconi, wrote to the court that Heard had permission to be at his ex wife's home at the time to return a bicycle helmet. While returning the helmet, Marconi wrote, Heard left the deer hoof and ear as a gift for his daughter.

Heard got the deer parts earlier the same day from a friend who harvested a road-killed deer and remembered his daughter had previously seen a deer harvested and mentioned wanting a hoof. The hoof and ear were left as presents, not to terrorize, according to Marconi. Heard is pleading not guilty.