Jocelyn "Josie" E. Miller, a 19-year-old Caucasian female, was a resident of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, who passed away at her home on Sunday, September 9, 2018. A graduate of Manitowoc Lincoln High School, she was known for her love of music, having played the saxophone in the band and jazz band for seven years. She had been employed at a local Culver's restaurant for four years.
Those who knew her described her as someone who loved to make people happy, often making goofy faces to elicit a smile.
On that Sunday in September, the lives of Jocelyn and her 51-year-old father, Richard Miller, were tragically cut short. Both were found fatally shot in their home on Dale Street in what Manitowoc police investigated as a double homicide. The initial investigation did not lead to immediate arrests, though law enforcement assured the public that they did not believe there was a wider danger. A joint memorial service was later held for Jocelyn and her father on September 29, 2018.
The investigation into the deaths of Jocelyn and Richard Miller led to the arrest of Karl Hess. In his initial confession to the police, Hess stated that he went to the Miller residence believing there was cash in the home. He admitted to shooting Richard twice before finding Jocelyn hiding in a bedroom and killing her. This confession provided a clear motive for the horrific crime, pointing towards a robbery that turned into a double murder.
During his trial in June 2021, Karl Hess recanted his earlier confession and presented a different version of events. He testified that he had gone to the Miller house to talk to his friend, Richard, about an illegal business proposition. Hess claimed that Richard Miller took his gun and shot Jocelyn, and in response, he shot Richard. Despite his new testimony, the jury convicted Hess on two counts of first-degree intentional homicide. In August 2021, he was sentenced to two life sentences in prison without the possibility of extended supervision. At his sentencing, a family member spoke of the bright future that was taken from Jocelyn, who would have been in her third year of college. Hess, however, maintained his innocence at the sentencing.
