In the pre-dawn hours of October 29, 1987, a male named Larry Judson Sneed, aged 35, became the victim of a fatal roadside encounter in Walton, GA. His death was the culmination of a crime spree initiated by Michael Miller and his accomplice, Darrell Cook.
The night began with Miller and Cook in a stolen van in Atlanta, their intent set on finding money.
Their evening of crime included the kidnapping of a man named Jimmy Evans, whom they robbed after forcing him to lead them to his apartment. After leaving Evans, they met up with a third individual, Teresa Okoia. The trio then drove towards Covington, their journey fueled by drug purchases. As they returned on Miller-Bottom Road, they made the fateful decision to stop and rob the next vehicle they encountered.
That vehicle was driven by Larry Sneed. Miller opened fire on Sneed’s car with a. 22 rifle. As Sneed attempted to stop, his car was struck from behind by the van, causing it to leave the roadway. When Sneed exited his vehicle and tried to flee, Miller shot him in the back. While Sneed lay dying, Miller went through his pockets as Okoia searched his car. They made off with his wallet, a cooler, a check, and several credit cards before a nearby porchlight prompted them to flee the scene. Larry Sneed was left to bleed to death.
The break in the case came on November 11, 1987. Michael Miller, who was incarcerated on an unrelated charge, attempted to trade information about Sneed's murder. He initially claimed to have only heard about the crime from others, but the level of detail he provided raised suspicion among investigators. He eventually admitted to being present at the scene but denied any direct involvement in the shooting. A polygraph examination later indicated that he was being untruthful when he denied shooting Sneed.
Michael Miller was subsequently convicted by a jury in Walton County for the murder and armed robbery of Larry Judson Sneed. The jury found the presence of two statutory aggravating circumstances: the murder was committed during the course of an armed robbery, and it was committed for the purpose of obtaining money and other valuable items. As a result of these findings, Michael Miller was sentenced to death for the murder.
