Evelyn Miller murder probe drags on
Published: 07/01/2006 4:04 PM
By: Associated Press - Associated Press
CHARLES CITY, IA - One year after authorities stumbled upon the gruesome sight of 5-year old Evelyn Miller's body on the banks of the Cedar River, this northern Iowa city remains captive to uncertainty, awaiting justice that many in this tiny town fear might never come.
Evelyn Miller disappeared from her home in nearby Floyd on July 1, 2005. A massive manhunt ensued, culminating on July 6 with the discovery of her body. Officials ruled Evelyn's death a homicide and launched an investigation.
But that was a year ago, and though authorities insist that the investigation is not a "cold case," they haven't done much over the past year to make the public believe them.
As of Friday, the team investigating the case -- led by Floyd County attorney Marilyn J. Dettmer, Floyd County sheriff Rick Lynch and Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation director Gene Meyer … had yet to name a single suspect, leaving a town that was once torn apart by tragedy now pleading for closure.
"It's very frustrating," said Charles City construction worker Carrie Muater, who was one of hundreds of people who spent nearly a week last summer searching for Evelyn's body. "I know investigations can be slow. But we still don't have any answers."
The investigation did heat up Thursday when Dan Slick, 27, of Charles City, whom police say was one of the last people to see Evelyn Miller alive, was arrested for giving false information to investigators. An indictment released by the U.S. Attorney's office said Slick was untruthful about the whereabouts of his roommate, Randy Patrie, during the hours after both reported seeing Evelyn.
Slick and Patrie had gone to the residence to visit Casey Frederiksen, the live-in boyfriend of Noel Miller, Evelyn's mother, at about 2 a.m. Noel, who was working a night shift, reported Evelyn missing at 6:46 a.m.
A statement released Thursday by the Floyd County attorney's office said that other people "who have not been truthful have been identified," and investigations are under way.
As the investigation into Evelyn's death stretches into its second year, three factors may give clues as to why the probe has become so lengthy.
Authorities weren't sure what Evelyn's status was during the six days between when she was reported missing and when she was found. That uncertainty forced them to stretch their resources thin to explore all possible scenarios.
It is possible that the spot where Evelyn was found was not where the murder took place -- which would have left authorities without a primary crime scene from which to gather key evidence.
It is also unclear what condition Evelyn's body was in when she was discovered. Experts believe that if Evelyn's body had been in the spot where it was found for even a couple of days, it would have deteriorated quickly, leaving even less of a hint as to what really happened.
No one but the team in charge of the investigation knows the details of the case -- and they aren't saying much. But last week Dettmer acknowledged that the initial uncertainty surrounding Evelyn's disappearance put authorities behind the eight-ball from the start.
"I think in the beginning, time was a factor," Dettmer said. "We were operating against two competing issues at the time. Was she missing? Was she harmed? It's difficult to pursue both those avenues. We did it, but by the time you start accumulating evidence you're already behind."
The discovery of Evelyn's body was just the beginning of the mystery. Dr. Gregory Schmunk, who is the medical examiner for Polk County but is not involved with the case, says that if Evelyn was placed at the site where she found but not killed there, authorities would still have to find where the murder took place.
But even if Evelyn's murder occurred at the site, any evidence would have been subject to elements, such as rain, that could tamper with the location's integrity.
"With the passage of time, there's the potential of loss of evidence," Schmunk said. "And anytime that you do not find the person where they died, it makes it much more difficult because then you're dealing with a secondary crime scene."
Officials haven't released any information regarding how Evelyn died, or the condition of her body when it was found.
Though temperatures in the Charles City area were cooler than usual in the six days Evelyn was missing, highs for those days ranged from 76 to 80 degrees and lows never dipped below 55, according to the Iowa State University Department of Agronomy.
Experts say the body of a small child is likely to decompose at a much faster pace than that of an adult. In the summer, decomposition begins almost immediately.
"If (bodies) are exposed outside, depending on the time of year, you are going to lose physical evidence," said Bob Rigg, the director of the criminal defense program at the Drake Legal Clinic. "The longer the body is exposed to the elements, the more the evidence degrades."
The case is still a hot topic around town, and though many are frustrated by the speed of the case, they say they're willing to wait it out as long as justice is served.
Dettmer and the rest of the investigating team remain optimistic that they will find Evelyn's killer.
She also maintains that the feedback she has received from the community has been positive, and insists that any frustration residents may have over the pace of the investigation has little bearing on the team's work.
"I don't think anybody on the outside can put any more pressure on us than we do to ourselves," she said.
http://www.gazetteonline.com/2006/07/01/Home/evelynmillerinvestigation.htm