MISSOULA — On August 27, Miles Otis Miller was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years for killing his mother, Teri, and tampering with evidence in 2023.
Miller will also have to pay $2,070 in restitution for his mother's funeral proceedings; all other court fees were waived. He also receives credit for 1,203 days served.
Before sentencing was imposed, county attorney Matt Jennings argued that when Miller says he is going to kill, that he means it. Jennings also noted how Miller hid and kept his weapon as a trophy, noting what he called an 'inherent violence' inside Miller.
Defense attorney Jami Rebsom said that due to Miller's young age and desire to work while imprisoned, he deserves to have the opportunity to have a life one day.
Judge Leslie Halligan stated that her sentence addresses the need for public safety as well as Miller's prospects for rehabilitation.
Halligan touched on writings found in the home, which were key pieces of evidence in trial, noting Miller planned how he would respond to police, thought of multiple ways to kill his mother, weighed pros and cons of his choice, oscillated between wanting to kill Teri, his sister, or his sister's husband, and then decided to torture and kill his mother by stabbing her 60 times.
Throughout court proceedings, Miller mostly stayed quiet.
Family and prosecutors described that as showing no remorse. Miller's counsel stated that he was protecting his innocence and rights to potentially appeal.
RELATED: Watch as the deliberate homicide trial of Miles Miller begins in Missoula (Sept. 10, 2025)
