Overview
- Officers discovered 55-year-old Cindy Miller dead inside her Gilbert home during a welfare check on Aug. 8, finding the body in a late state of decomposition and prescription and illicit pills in the bedroom.
- Police say 52-year-old Kristopher Michael Lauchner told investigators he moved Miller’s body from a hotel, buckled her into her car, carried her into her home and later covered the body while admitting he sold her jewelry and used her phone and vehicle; he denies causing her death.
- Investigators tied Lauchner to the scene with security camera footage showing him in the home wearing a handgun and repositioning a camera, pawn-shop records for the jewelry, Flock automatic license-plate reader data tracking the victim’s Mercedes, and a recovered Smith & Wesson.
- Court records show Lauchner was under a court-ordered no-contact order with an ankle monitor that stopped pinging on July 12, he was arrested after trying to flee on Aug. 11, and a judge denied bond because he was on felony release at the time of the alleged actions.
- The Maricopa County medical examiner has not yet determined cause or manner of death, the investigation remains active and the family has said they are devastated as the case proceeds through county court.