Professor's widow still hopes for justice

GOSHEN, Ind. (AP) -- The widow of a northern Indiana college professor fatally beaten a year ago at their home said she still believes police will find their attacker.

Tuesday marks one year since Goshen College biology professor James Miller was killed and his wife, Linda, was badly injured in the early morning attack.
   
Linda Miller said she has been in close contact with Goshen police detectives and believes they're working hard to solve the attack in the city about 25 miles southeast of South Bend.
 
"I think they're going to find him yet," she told The Goshen News. "... They've been working hard to make sure everything is right."

Miller, 58, died from multiple blunt force and sharp force injuries. Police said his body was found on the street by the couple's mailbox. The intruder attacked Linda Miller first, but her husband came to her aid, and she was able to call 911.

Linda Miller described the attacker as a man about 6 feet tall in his early to mid-20s. Police released a composite drawing of a clean-cut man, but no arrests have been made.

James Miller had taught since 1980 at the 1,000-student private liberal arts college that's affiliated with the Mennonite Church.

Linda Miller, who was hospitalized for nearly a week after the attack, said she's found a great deal of support from the community and the police department.

"We have trusted God to carry us through, and he has," she told The Elkhart Truth. "In many ways I'm at rest because I know when Jim was dying, God was with him."

Goshen Police Chief Wade Branson said evidence taken from the Millers' home continues to undergo DNA testing at a state police laboratory.
   
"Given the tremendous amount of evidence to inspect and test, it seems painfully slow to those of us waiting on the results," Branson said. "However, we are confident that the technicians at the Indiana State Police lab are competent professionals in their field and have as great an interest as we do in bringing this case to closure."

Branson said the department also continues reviewing about 100 leads from the public.

Ryan Sensenig, who was a colleague of Miller's for five years, said the loss is still felt at the school.

"Healing is not a smooth journey," said Sensenig, an associate professor of biology and environmental science. "It can still be tough. The reality of it kind of comes and goes."