A sentence of more than 10 years is part of a plea deal for a southern Minnesota antiques store owner who injected a woman with a lethal drug dose and did nothing to help her as he cleaned up the scene.
Troy M. Meeker, 52, pleaded guilty last week in Martin County District Court to second-degree manslaughter and a felony drug offense in connection with the death of Mariah L. Miller, 24, whose body was found in the basement living quarters of Meeker's downtown Truman store on Aug. 19, 2018.
A charge of third-degree murder will be dismissed upon sentencing, scheduled for Oct. 25.
With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Meeker will serve about 6 ⅓ years in prison and the balance on supervised release.
Meeker said Miller had been living with him for about 10 days in the basement below Bullseye Antiques.
Meeker called authorities about 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 19 to report Miller's death. He told a deputy that Miller borrowed his vehicle two days earlier, returned on Aug. 18 and was "acting weird."
Officers searched the home a day after Miller's body was discovered and noted evidence of recent cleaning and clothes washing by Meeker. A hypodermic needle was found about 5 feet from where Miller's body was lying.
The night before Miller's body was found, Meeker told an unidentified witness that he injected Miller with drugs and put her on the floor, where she died. He also told the witness that Miller would give him sex for drugs.
