David Heck, 58, was found guilty in February of 2011 for the 2009 Christmas Eve murder of his 87-year-old mother, Ruth.

Heck claimed that there was insufficient evidence, police had violated his rights, and both the prosecution and the judge had deprived him of a fair trial.

The appellate court rejected the argument, saying that he hit his mother at least 13 times in the head with a hammer and then staged the crime scene to make it look like she fell.

Heck is currently serving 25 years to life in prison.