06012011 - News Article - Kouts murder-suicide leaves parents dead, son homeless

Kouts murder-suicide leaves parents dead, son homeless
Post-Tribune (IN)
June 1, 2011
www.newsbank.com

As the burnt house smoldered Tuesday, nine hours after the fire, Porter County Sheriff’s Police were still investigating the apparent firebombing death of a Kouts woman at the hands of her estranged husband.

Police responded to 1269 S. County Road 200E in Pleasant Township in rural Kouts, at approximately 3 a.m. Tuesday for a domestic disturbance that claimed the lives of Frederick Miller, 59, and his wife, Cheryl Miller, 52, Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris said.

Police said the husband came to the residence and threw a flammable device through a window. The man’s estranged wife and the couple’s 19-year-old son, J.J., were home at the time. The son was able to escape and called police after hearing several gunshots from near the residence, police said.

The Millers lived on a dead-end gravel road. The nearest neighbor’s house cannot be seen from their residence.

When police arrived, they saw the residence fully engulfed in flames, and found Cheryl Miller dead in the driveway. Frederick Miller was also found dead on the property from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to a news release.

Family acquaintance Kris Hendrickson, who has known the family for 12 years, said her two sons were friends with J.J. Miller, and her sons were with J.J. late Monday evening. Hendrickson also knew Cheryl Miller as a customer at the post office where Hendrickson works.

“The mom always came into the post office,” Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson said she chatted at length with Cheryl Miller during the woman’s frequent post office trips.

Harris said an autopsy on both will likely take place Wednesday, but it appears both Millers died from gunshot wounds in a murder-suicide.

In April, Frederick Miller was removed from the home by police, a Porter County Sheriff’s Department release noted.

According to the Porter County Clerk’s Office, Cheryl Miller applied for a protective order from her husband. A Porter County judge granted her the order in April and declared the husband be removed from the residence. The couple filed for divorce April 13.

Cpl. Larry Laflower, public information officer for Porter County Sheriff’s Department, said protective orders are common when couples who file for divorce have a violent relationship.

Porter County Sheriff’s Department detectives are handling the investigation, along with the Porter County Coroner’s Office.

Caption: Deadly scene: Porter County Sheriff’s Police detective Bill Young (left) and Kevin Cusic work the scene of a murder-suicide Tuesday in rural Kouts. Authorites believe Cheryl Miller, 52, was shot to death by her estranged husband Frederick, 59, after he firebombed their Pleasant Township home. Miller then shot himself. The couple’s son was able to escape and call police. | Andy Lavalley~Sun-Times Media Andy Lavalley