Miller also faces additional charges in separate matter

A status conference in the Randall Miller murder case was held in St. Joseph County Circuit Court Thursday. 

Miller, 34, of Three Rivers is charged with open murder in relation to the 2019 death of Lori Norman, who was found unresponsive in her 5th Street home on March 25 of last year. Officers from the Three Rivers Police Department were called to the scene sometime after midnight that evening, and immediately attempted to perform lifesaving measures on Norman but were unable to revive her.

According to police documents, the medical examiner who conducted Norman’s autopsy said it was possible she died from strangulation. She reportedly had bruises on her hands, shoulder, and the side of her head, and cuts on her face, which likely occurred around the time of her death.

Circuit Court Judge Paul Stutesman told Watershed Voice Thursday a defense expert has been named in the case, and the defense is waiting on a report from said expert.

In addition to the murder charge, a new case against Miller was recently bound over to circuit court.

Miller has been charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, with all three victims under the age of 13. Sometime after the investigation into Norman’s murder, additional details came to light regarding alleged sexual misconduct on the part of Miller, according to authorities.

The maximum penalty for open murder is life in prison or any number of years at the court’s discretion, while each count of criminal sexual conduct carries a sentence of life in prison or any number of years, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years or more if the defendant is 17 or older and the victim is 13 or younger.

Alek Haak-Frost is the executive editor of Watershed Voice.