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News footage of Christopher Miller being escorted out of court by police (News 12 Long Island).
A New York man was found hiding in his neighbor’s shed after police were called about a disturbance. But when officers took him back home to his father, a retired police detective, they discovered the older man shot dead — allegedly at the hands of his son.
According to New York Fox station WNYW, Christopher Miller, 43, was arrested by Suffolk County police on March 19 after officers responded to a call about a disturbance in a backyard shed. When they arrived, the officer found Miller and recognized his name from a missing persons report filed by the man’s father, John “Jack” Miller, earlier that week. The officer reportedly escorted Christopher Miller back to the home of his father, whose deceased body was found inside the house.
Suffolk Police Homicide Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer told News 12 Long Island that at around 7:30 a.m. on March 19, Christopher Miller allegedly came down the stairs carrying a shotgun. When Jack Miller attempted to take the gun away, an argument reportedly ensued, and the son allegedly shot his father several times. He then fled the scene. Prosecutors reportedly said that Christopher Miller attempted to steal a vehicle, but was unsuccessful.
Beyrer reportedly told the station that Christopher Miller was seen by the homeowner of the property where the shed was located. The neighbor said Christopher Miller “walked past the homeowner and wouldn’t respond to her questions about what he was doing. And the homeowner just saw a person walk into [the] shed.” The neighbor then called police.
Authorities said that Christopher Miller recently moved back into his father’s home after the younger man got divorced. On March 17, Christopher Miller got into a car accident and was hospitalized after getting into a fight with another driver, but at the time, Jack Miller didn’t know his son’s whereabouts, News 12 Long Island reported. Jack Miller, 75, intended to report his son missing, but was informed by police that his son was in the hospital.
According to police, Jack Miller picked his son up from the hospital on March 18. The next morning, the retired Suffolk County police detective and volunteer firefighter was dead.
Christopher Miller was arraigned in a Suffolk County courtroom on March 20 and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. He is charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bail.
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