A man accused of murder in the death of 11-month-old Mercedes Lain appeared in Starke Circuit Court Monday afternoon for a plea hearing.
According to factual basis information given during the plea hearing, Justin Lee Miller is accused of inflicting serious blunt force trauma injuries to Mercedes Lain’s head while at a residence in Mishawaka in the early morning hours of August 14, 2021. Lain later died of those injuries. It was then when Miller drove to Starke County and buried her body in the area of 1025 E. and 50 N, according to testimony given during the plea hearing.
An amended plea agreement negotiated between Defense Attorney Alex Hoover and Special Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tami Napier in the case of Justin Lee Miller was filed in Starke Circuit Court Monday morning. Certain aspects of the agreement were amended from last week’s original filing, but the main terms of the proposed sentence remain the same.
Per the terms of the agreement as discussed in open court, Miller would agree to plead guilty to one count of murder, a felony. A sentence enhancement would be dismissed, if Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall agrees to accept the proposed agreement at a sentencing hearing Tuesday, January 18 at 10 a.m. CT. If the judge rejects the plea agreement, the plea of guilty would be withdrawn.
The court would have discretion of the sentence. The charge of murder has a minimum sentence of 45 years and a maximum sentence of 65 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. Judge Hall will determine the sentence upon the presentation of evidence and argument surrounding the case by the prosecution and defense, as well the weight of any mitigating or aggravating circumstances. A pre-sentence investigation report will outline some of those circumstances, as well as certain questions asked by the court.
Miller has been incarcerated in the Starke County Jail pending the outcome of court proceedings.
