An inmate serving life for the killing of a young Lancaster city mother 11 years ago wants a new trial, claiming the jury that convicted him knew too much outside of court.

Edward “Eddie” Major was the convicted triggerman in the “execution-style” shooting of Heather Nunn during an alleged robbery at her Pearl Street home in October 2004.

Major, now 36, was convicted in March 2011 of shooting Nunn, 24, three times in the chest, while her children bathed upstairs.

On appeal, Major argues the jury learned too much about the case from reading newspaper coverage, and his attorney should’ve requested the trial be heard outside of Lancaster County.

The Pennsylvania Superior Court has denied that request for relief, finding that Lancaster County Judge Joseph Madenspacher’s initial denial of appeal was appropriate.

While Major argues the media coverage was extensive and overblown, his attorney testified at a prior appeal hearing that it was nothing “out of the ordinary.”

Nunn’s murder was unsolved for five years.

The high court, in its opinion, writes “the publicity was far from being extensive.”

Many of the reports happened several years before trial, when Nunn was killed.

Just because it became a “cold case,” the Superior Court found, doesn’t mean every potential juror had extensive knowledge of it, as Major claimed.

Major, David Jordan, Michael Stewart and Hayward Stewart all were charged in the killing. Major and Jordan are serving life sentences.

Grand-jury testimony led to the arrests.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Miller prosecuted the case.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us