In the quiet town of Gooding, Idaho, the community was shaken by the disappearance and subsequent death of 58-year-old Roger Dale Driesel, a male resident and a veteran of the National Guard. Driesel was last seen on May 15, 2023. Concern grew after he was reported missing on May 17. The search for Driesel came to a heartbreaking end on Saturday, May 27, 2023, when his body was discovered at a shop near his home in Gooding.
What initially began as a missing person case quickly turned
into a homicide investigation, according to the Gooding County Prosecutor's Office. An autopsy was scheduled to be conducted in a neighboring county to determine the cause of death. As the investigation unfolded, troubling details emerged about the circumstances leading to Driesel's demise. Police learned that his girlfriend, Athena Miller, had asked her nephew, Nicholas James, to kill him.
The investigation led to the arrest of both Miller and James. The case against the pair detailed a plot to end Driesel's life. Eventually, Nicholas James pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, and Athena Miller pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the murder. Both were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in the death of Roger Driesel. During the sentencing, Driesel's family had the opportunity to address Miller and James in court, expressing their profound loss and betrayal. Miller claimed she had not asked her nephew to kill Driesel but had only wanted to get away from him. James's defense attorney stated that his client's mental health disorders were a contributing factor in the events. In addition to their life sentences, both were ordered to pay restitution to the victim's family.
