Joseph Miller – Dauphin County Serial Killer

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Joseph Miller - Dauphin County Serial Killer - placed his victims in local landfills

Joseph Miller has been called the most prolific serial killer in Dauphin County’s history. Learn how one brave woman’s will to live helped bring down his reign of terror. This is the story of his heinous crimes.

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Timeline

  • February 1986:  Kelly Ann Ward (26)  disappears
  • May 16, 1987:  Selina Franklin (18) disappears
    • Last seen by friends who had been riding around Harrisburg with a man named “Joey”
  • November 6, 1989:  Stephanie McDuffey (23) disappears
    • She is 8 months pregnant
    • Fails to return home, her mother reports her missing to police
  • January 11, 1990: Jeanette Thomas (25) disappears
    • Last seen leaving Allison Hill bar

1990’s

Joseph Miller killed Jeanette Thomas after leaving an Allison Hill bar
Allison Hill, Harrisburg, PA Governor Tom Wolf [CC BY 2.0]

In February 1990, Kathy Novena Shenck (also known as Phoenix Bell) disappears. Her body is found in a roadside dump in Perry County on February 27, 1990. She had been run over repeatedly by a car then buried under trash.

Joseph Miller would be found guilty of Kathy’s murder and sentenced to life.

On June 30, 1992, a woman staggers to a home in Wheatfield Township in Perry County. She was from Harrisburg, PA, and had a history of prostitution. She told police she had been raped, forced to perform oral sex, stabbed in the head 25 times with a screwdriver, and then left for dead.

On August 6, 1992, Clara Johnson found by a Conrail Security Guard. She was found in a ditch with duct tape over her nose and mouth. She had been beaten and raped.

Joseph Miller is arrested after a 6-hour standoff on August 7, 1992. Miller had run to the roof of a 3 story apartment building and threatened to jump.

On August 12, 1992, Joseph “Joey” Miller leads police to skeletal remains of Franklin and McDuffey. He waves his Miranda rights and tells Detective Brennan about the murders of Franklin & McDuffey.

On March 25, 1993, Miller is found guilty of the murders of Franklin & McDuffey and is sentenced to death.

On February 20, 1997, skeletal remains are found by road crew one mile from the Swatara, Dauphin County landfill that 3 previous victims were found. The remains were later determined to be Kelly Ann Ward who disappeared in February 1986 and who Joseph Miller would confess to murdering in 2016.

2000’s

On February 24, 2000, the PA Supreme Court upholds Joseph Miller’s death sentences. Dauphin County Judge Jeanne Turgeon ruled that Miller was mentally handicapped on August 25, 2002. The ruling indicated that the state could not execute Miller and his sentences were commuted to life without the possibility of parole. On July 24, 2008, the PA State Supreme Court rules that Judge Turgeon was in her discretion to vacate death sentences due to Miller’s intellectual disability.

During the Spring of 2014 the FBI in Quantico, VA identifies partial remains as belonging to Kelly Ann Ward.

On June 24, 2016, Joseph Miller confesses to two additional murders. That of Kelly Ann Ward who disappeared in 1986 and Jeanette Thomas who disappeared in 1990. He was sentenced to two additional life terms.

Location

Joseph Millers crimes occurred near Harrisburg PA
Harrisburg, PA State Capital Building kev72 [CC BY]

The murder occurred in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Dauphin County is named after the eldest son of King Louis XVI of France. Harrisburg is the state capital and is located in Dauphin County. John Harris Jr. founded Harrisburg. His father was a friend of William Penn, Pennsylvania’s founder. Harrisburg was originally called Harris Ferry.

Dauphin County’s population as of the 2017 census was 275,710 and Harrisburg’s population was 49,142 (10th largest city in PA).

August 5, 1992 – Jane Doe

Jane Doe #1, was a tall African American female. While waiting for a cab at the Uptown Grill (bar in Harrisburg located on 3rd & Muench Street) she was offered a ride by two men. The name of the driver was Joseph “Joey” Miller.  He was a white male in his late 20’s. After dropping his friend off, Jane asked to be taken back to the bar because she was uneasy. Joey agreed but made a stop at a mini-mart for cigarettes and gas first. Then he proceeded to drive in the opposite direction of the Uptown Grill and Jane’s home.

At one point, a struggle began in the car after Joey refused Jane’s requests.  Joey told her that he had something to do with her and she wasn’t going anywhere. Joey drove her to an isolated Conrail train yard in Susquehanna Township (behind the Farm Show Building). When Jane tried to jump from the vehicle, Joey slammed on his brakes causing the door to hit her in the head, dazing her.

At that point, Joey tried to run her over with the car, but Jane had fallen down an embankment. Joey eventually caught up with Jane and proceeded to beat her in the head and face.  He then raped her. Joey stopped to drink a beer that he had in a cooler in the trunk of his car. Next, he bound Jane up with duct tape and placed a knife to her throat.

I’ve Killed Before

Joey told her he was going to rape her again and then kill her. He told Jane that all women were alike and that he had killed other women (she wouldn’t be his first). Joey raped Jane again then proceeded to repeatedly beat her about the head with beer bottles. He dragged her by her legs to the edge of a ditch and then put tape over her nose and mouth.

By luck, a Conrail Security Guard showed up as Joey was dragging Jane into the ditch. Upon seeing the guard Joey took off running. He left his car behind. The bloody knife he used was laying in the window well. Police and EMTs show up and transport Jane to the closest hospital where she would survive her injuries. She was able to give her statement to police.

August 6, 1992 – Arrest

Police ran a registration check on the car left at the scene and at 6 am arrive at Joseph Miller’s home in Steelton, PA (right next to Harrisburg) with an arrest warrant. He lived there with his pregnant wife and 2 children. Joey fled to a nearby 3 story apartment building where he threatened to jump off the roof during a 6-hour standoff. He eventually gave himself up and was arrested and charged with rape, aggravated assault, kidnapping, and the attempted murder of Jane Doe.

Joey waived his Miranda rights, and told the investigating detective, Thomas Brennan, that Jane had willingly gone with him and had consensual sex with him. Afterward, they had gotten into a fight. After taking his statement, Detective Brennan told Joey that he believed he had committed other assaults and if he wanted to talk to him to get in touch.

August 11, 1992 

While still in custody Joey requested to speak with Detective Brennan. He made the request through a counselor he had been working with at the Dauphin County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program. Detective Brennan met with Joey that evening, and once again he waived his Miranda rights.

Joey proceeded to tell Detective Brennan that he had killed a woman in 1987 four years previously. Her name was Selina Franklin. He offered to take him to where he had buried the body after he spoke with an attorney from the District Attorney’s Office. Joey was transported to the DA’s office and met with First Assistant William Tully. On the car ride over Joey told Detective Brennan that he had killed another woman in 1989. Unfortunately, he could not remember her name.

Death Penalty

Upon arriving at the DA’s office, Joey told both DA Tully and Detective Brennan that he had committed several murders and wanted the death penalty because he did not want to embarrass his family.  He even offered to take them to a Swatara Township landfill to show them where he placed the bodies. The group proceeded to the landfill and while awaiting police assistance Joey told the men more about the murders.

Selina Franklin (18, African American Female)

Joey picked Selina up on May 15, 1987, along with some of her friends along North 6th Street in the city. He offered to drive them around town. This is something Selina and her friends did all the time. He claims that he dropped Selina’s friends off, but she offered to stay with him and agreed to have sex with him for $35.

Joey drove to the Swatara Township landfill where they had sex. Then they got into an argument at which time he picked up a piece of electrical insulator pipe and beat her over the head until she died. He took the $35 out of her pocket and buried her body among the trash and debris in the landfill.

Joey was questioned by police several days later in connection with her disappearance. This spooked him enough to return to the landfill and move Selina’s body to a different area of the landfill. He also took off her clothes and spread them around. Joey buried the insulator pipe beside Selina’s body.

Joey claims that he returned to the landfill several months later and found some of her bones sticking out of the ground. He threw them down a nearby hillside.

Stephanie McDuffey (23, African American Female, who was 8 ½ months pregnant)

Stephanie disappeared on November 6, 1989. She left her mother’s house on Bellevue Street and told her that she was going to see a man she recently had met. Joey claims that they drove out to the Swatara Township landfill and had consensual sex.

CDP Life Tip #3

Afterward, Joey took a piece of pipe he had in his car. After tying her up he beat Stephanie in the head until she was dead. Joey then dragged her body to a nearby access road and covered her and the pipe up with some lumber, shingles, and tires.

August 12, 1992 – Search for Bodies

The police postponed the search the prior evening until they could gather the proper equipment. Joey agreed to come out the next day and show the police where the bodies were. The next morning Joey accompanied the police back to the Swatara landfill. On the way there he pointed out on an aerial photograph where the women were buried.

After handing the photo back to detectives he started laughing and told Detective Brennan that he had been lying about the murders. Detectives didn’t believe him and proceeded to search the landfill and after about a week they found relatively intact skeletal remains of an adult female along with a fetal skeleton. These remains belonged to Stephanie McDuffey and her unborn child.

The pathologist determined she had died from several blows to her skull, which was crushed. A pipe was found alongside the body.

Police also discovered partial remains of Selina Franklin. A leg bone that was found had a rope tied around the ankle.  There was also the clothing she was last seen wearing and an electrical insulator was found alongside the body. Selina’s skull was never located.

Joseph Miller was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and after his trial in March 1993, he was found guilty and sentenced to two death sentences.

Survivors

It turns out that Jane Doe was not the first victim of Joey’s to survive.

On June 30, 1992, Joey had abducted another woman from Harrisburg and took her to Wheatfield Township in Perry County (which is across the river from Harrisburg). There he raped and beat his victim, stabbing her in the head 25 times with a screwdriver. He left her to die, but she somehow made her way to an isolated home for help. This was 37 days before he would abduct and rape Jane Doe.

Death Sentence

In February 2000, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld Joseph Miller’s death sentences and Governor Tom Ridge signed his death warrant. He is scheduled for lethal injection.

On August 25, 2002, Dauphin County Judge Jeanne Turgeon rules that Miller was “mentally handicapped” and therefore could not be put to death as it would be considered cruel and unusual punishment. Sixteen years after Jane’s attack on July 24, 2008, the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court rules that Judge Turgeon acted in her discretion to vacate Miller’s death sentences due to his intellectual disability and upholds the life imprisonment sentences.

Clearing His Conscience

On April 15, 2016, 23 ½ years after Jane’s attack, Joey Miller reaches out to Detectives with the Swatara Township Police asking to meet with them. He wants to “clear his conscious.” You can find the video of this interview with the link in the resources below. Joey is read his rights. It is gone over several times that he has a right to an attorney and that he was the one who contacted the police. It was not them coming to him.

Joey proceeds to tell the detectives about two more murders he committed.

Janette Thomas (January 11, 1990, 25, African American female)

Janette’s remains were actually found around 1990/1991 and another man, William Kelly (31) confessed to her murder and pleaded guilty. Kelly was serving 10 to 20 years in prison. DNA testing showed that Miller was her killer and Kelly was later released.

Joey claims that he met Janette in an uptown bar. They had been drinking and had then gone to the landfill to have sex. Afterward, they got into an argument and “one thing lead to another” and he killed her.

He claims the argument was over money, but she was not a prostitute. He said that she slapped him and he picked up a nearby tire iron and hit her in the head until she died. Then he dragged her body to a nearby leaf pile and covered her up.

Joey claims that he didn’t know someone else had been arrested for her murder until he was arrested. Joey also says that he didn’t know he was going to kill her when they left the bar, but he had been drinking and she upset him.

Kelly Ann Ward (February 1986, 26 African American female)

Kelly Ann was reported missing by her family in February 1986. This was the same month that Joey was released from jail. Joey claims that he met Kelly Ann at a corner bar in Harrisburg and they went for a walk where she negotiated a price for sex. Joey then drove to his brother-in-law’s house for the $20-$25 and they proceeded to party a little more until he drove her out to a landfill in Swatara Township.

He claims they had sex, but she wasn’t satisfied with the money he gave her and they got into an argument after she told him she was going to call the cops on him.

“So I killed her.”

Joey stated that he would end up moving her body a day to two later to “throw the cops off.” Kelly Ann’s remains were found in 1997, but not identified until 2014.

Victimology

All his victims were African American females with bigger body builds (i.e. tall, heavy, etc). All of the women were from the Harrisburg area and had tough upbringings. He would take them to isolated locations for the purposes of having sex. Joey claims they would argue or perhaps they fought trying to get away from him. He would kill them by beating them repeatedly or running them over with his car.

In his confession in 2016 Joey talked about the 7 statuettes that were found in his home upon his arrest. He admitted that they represented his 7 victims (5 he murdered and 2 that survived).

Joseph Miller’s Upbringing

Miller was born in 1965. He grew up in Steelton, PA in a house ripe with alcohol addiction, physical and sexual abuse. He was diagnosed with an Intellectual Disability and dropped out of school in the 4th grade. His father would beat him and chain him to his bed. Miller was forced by his parents to watch his IDD brother eat under the table like a dog.

One of his uncles made Joey perform oral sex on him at a young age and he was introduced to alcohol at age 6. Sexual abuse was rampant in his home. His stepsister was molested by his father and ended up giving birth to Joey’s sister/niece.

His upbringing turned out to be a recipe for creating a serial killer – brain-damaged child, introduced to hate, sexual abuse, physical abuse/violence, substance abuse, and crime.

Joey spent the majority of his youth, teen years and young adulthood in and out of detention facilities and jails. He committed mostly petty crimes, usually while he was drunk or high.

Last Murder Victim: Kathi Novena Schenck

Kathi was part Sioux Indian and French Canadian. She lived on a Sioux reservation in Manitoba, Canada, and was 1 of 16 siblings. She was put up for adoption when she was 5 along with her 6-year-old sister, Roxanne due to a family life that was riddled with alcohol abuse and neglect.

For 13 years she lived in 7 different foster homes and three different institutions. When she aged out of the system at 18 she ended up marrying a man from New Bloomfield, PA. This marriage didn’t last long and they divorced with custody of the children going to her ex-husband.

Kathi struggled with her own dependence on alcohol. According to her ex-husband, Kathi was staying in a flophouse during the last few weeks of her life. This flophouse is where Miller picked her up and drove her to a roadside dump. The dump was along the Susquehanna River just south of Duncannon in Perry County.

When Kathi tried to flee from Miller he ran her over several times with his car, crushing her to death.

Conclusion

Joseph Miller is still in state prison. He was given five life sentences to run consecutively with an additional 7 ½ to 15 years after that. His murder spree was 5 years and involved 5 murders and two attempted murders.

Resources

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