A man who reported his wife missing from their Dothan, Ala., home on Feb. 24 has now been charged with her murder.
The Dothan Police Department said in a press release that “several indicators of foul play” were discovered in the early stages of the investigation into Gloria Miller’s whereabouts. Before Stephen Miller Sr., 64, even made the missing persons report, police said, some of his wife Gloria’s personal property was found in an area shopping center.
Police believe that it was Miller himself who had put the personal items there “just hours before [they were] found and turned into one of the local businesses,” the release states.
Gloria’s body was later recovered by investigators in a dry creek bed beneath a bridge, the release states, and has since been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy.
Gloria Miller.
Dothan Police Dept.
During the investigation, Stephen allegedly admitted that before her purported disappearance, he and Gloria, 57, had a “physical altercation during which time he admitted to manually strangling her until she was lifeless,” the release states.
Miller also called the news channel WDHN to report his wife missing, the outlet states, and appeared on camera discussing where his wife might be.
Sidney Whitaker, Gloria’s brother, told WDHN he felt there was a “monster” lurking inside his brother-in-law. “For him to come over to my place, after he had already committed this crime and me having no knowledge of it, he was very deceptive,” Whitaker said.
Per WTVY, Dothan Police Lieutenant Ronald Hall said at a press conference following Miller’s arrest, “He basically knew his (claims) were not adding up and he basically knew that he had no choice [but to confess].”
Per court records viewed by AL.com, Miller claimed Gloria had been abusive toward him and made threats against his life on two occasions. “She will hurt me, or my son given the chance,’’ Miller reportedly wrote in a Protection from Abuse request.
He requested another PFA last month, per AL.com. In one of the orders, Miller claimed his wife had a history of “mental abuse” and had been placed in a mental hospital at one point, WDHN reports. Miller ended up dismissing both cases himself.
The Millers’ daughter also reportedly filed a protective order against Gloria in January 2024, per WDHN, claiming that Gloria was “harassing” her and had allegedly threatened her with a knife years before.
Miller has been charged with one count of murder and is being held at the Houston County Jail on $1.5 million bond.
