In the late summer of 2020, the community of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was unsettled by the discovery of a body in a wooded area near East Robinswood Lane. On August 12th, authorities identified the deceased as 47-year-old Mario Lamont Miller, a local man. An investigation quickly determined that Miller had not died of natural causes; he had been fatally shot in the head, and his death was ruled a homicide.
As detectives delved into Miller's final days, a dark and complex story of revenge
began to emerge. The investigation led to the arrests of three individuals, with the focus centering on Steven Rice and his close friend, Keishayla Hill. During the subsequent legal proceedings, it was revealed that Hill had confided in Rice, accusing Miller of a brutal sexual assault. It was this allegation that set in motion a tragic chain of events.
Prosecutors laid out a case alleging that Hill, seeking retribution, had directed Rice to kill Miller. The trial brought forth testimony and evidence suggesting that Rice had acted on Hill's directive, culminating in the fatal shooting. In February 2024, a jury weighed the evidence presented and found Steven Rice guilty of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. For his role in the death of Mario Lamont Miller, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder, with an additional six years for the tampering charge. Keishayla Hill, accused of being the accomplice who instigated the killing, is awaiting a separate trial for her alleged involvement.
