Shivangi Sinha
In August 1972, Jody Loomis stepped out of her house wearing her sister’s boots, expecting nothing more than a normal day. Within hours, she was discovered in a wooded area with a gunshot wound to her head and rushed to the hospital, where she sadly succumbed to her injuries. In the decades that followed, the boots she had on that day became a crucial piece of evidence. Investigators were eventually able to draw on material preserved from them to crack the case years later. The case, its timeline, and key developments are explored in ID’s ‘People Magazine Investigates: My Sister’s Boots.’
Jody Loomis Was on Her Way to Her Stable When She Was Attacked
On June 5, 1952, John and Rosemary Loomis welcomed their daughter, Jody Gwen Loomis. She was raised in Bothell, Washington, alongside her two siblings, Jana and John, whom she adored. She was especially close to her younger sister, as the two often spent hours together. Jody had a deep love for horses and even owned one of her own, which she frequently rode along local trails. Much of her free time was spent at the stable whenever she had the chance. August 23, 1972, began like any other day. After borrowing her sister’s waffle-stomper boots, Jody set off on her white bicycle, planning to visit the stable and spend time with her horse, Saudi. But she never made it there.
The stable was located on Strumme Road, about six miles from her home. Jody was last seen riding east along Bothell-Everett Highway near Penny Creek Road. Shortly after, she vanished. Around 5:30 pm, a couple driving through a wooded area discovered her lying there. She had been shot in the head with a .22 calibre gun. Although she was rushed to the hospital, she was pronounced dead. An autopsy later revealed evidence of sexual assault, prompting an immediate investigation.
Jody Loomis’ Killer Was Identified Years Later Through DNA Evidence
Soon after the incident, police were able to narrow down a few suspects. One was a ranch owner who had allegedly behaved inappropriately toward Jody Loomis, while another was a tenant who had been chopping wood near the area where she was discovered. Investigators theorized that she had been assaulted and, while putting her clothes back on, was shot by her attacker. However, there was no physical evidence linking any suspect to the crime, and no solid leads emerged for years.
The first breakthrough came in 2005, when a state crime lab technician discovered a small trace of DNA on one of Jody’s boots that had been preserved as evidence. A full DNA profile was eventually developed from the sample, but when it was submitted to CODIS, no matches were found. The case went cold once again and remained unsolved until 2018, when investigators turned to genetic genealogy to identify the perpetrator. Unlike before, this method did not require an exact match; instead, advanced technology allowed the DNA to be used to build a family tree. Through this process, the police focused on Terrence Miller.
In 1972, Terrence had lived near Jody’s home in Edmonds, Washington, and was alleged to have a history of sexual violence. By 2018, he was married and running a ceramics business. Investigators kept him under surveillance and were eventually able to recover a coffee cup he had discarded. They obtained his DNA from it, which proved to be an exact match to the sample found at the crime scene. In April 2019, Miller was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, though he maintained his innocence. He was able to post bond and remained free while awaiting trial.
Terrence Miller Passed Away The Day He Was Pronounced Guilty
Terrence “Terry” Miller’s trial began in October 2020, with prosecutors presenting the DNA evidence as the cornerstone of their case. The defense argued that the evidence had been mishandled and maintained that there was no clear motive linking Miller to the crime. On November 6, 2020, the jury retired to deliberate, but Miller was not present in the courtroom. He was at his home where he shot himself and passed away. Although the defense contended that the verdict should not stand following his death, the judge ruled otherwise. The decision was formally read, declaring Miller guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, bringing long-awaited closure and a measure of justice to Jody Loomis’s family.
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