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Arsonist and alleged penta-murderer William Craig Miller was sentenced today to 16 years in prison in a 2005 arson case, which probably doesn’t sound that bad to Miller, since prosecutors will seek the death penalty in his upcoming murder trial.
Back in November 2005, Miller set his north Scottsdale house on fire in hopes of collecting insurance money.
In February 2006, five people were found executed in a Mesa home, three of whom — Steven Duffy, 30, his brother Shane Duffy, 18, and Tammy Lovell, 32 — all worked for Miller’s Scottsdale restoration company.
Steven Duffy and Lovell had been cooperating with police investigating the arson before they were killed, and the state prosecutor alleges Miller killed them to prevent them from testifying.
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The other two fatally shot were Tammy Lovell’s two children, 15-year-old Cassie Lovell and 10-year-old Jacob Lovell.
Obviously, none of the victims were able to testify in the arson trial, but that whole “five counts of first-degree murder” thing didn’t really help Miller’s defense.
After pleading guilty to arson and filing a false insurance claim last week, Miller received an aggravated 16 year sentence for the arson Thursday, in addition to a 1 1/2 year sentence for the insurance claim, which will run concurrently.
He also owes $501,000 in restitution related to the arson and insurance claim case.
Miller’s murder trial is scheduled to begin on August 1.
