Naman Shrestha
Investigation Discovery’s ‘The Murder Tapes: Death on Robinswood Lane’ chronicles the horrific and untimely demise of 47-year-old Mario Miller, whose death rocked the entire community of Arkansas. Over the course of the next few months, the detectives tried their best to uncover the mystery behind the murder. As they followed up on the evidence, they eventually uncovered an unexpected conspiracy that led them directly to the perpetrator (s). The documentary features exclusive, insightful interviews with Mario’s loved ones and the officials involved in the investigation, providing an in-depth account of the case.
Mario Miller Was Found Shot to Death in a Wooded Area
Born in the early 1970s, Mario Lamont Miller was seemingly born and brought up in a loving and supportive household. Unfortunately, not much is known about his personal or professional background. All that’s reported is that around 8:45 am on the morning of August 12, 2020, his remains were discovered in a wooded area near East Robinswood Lane in Fayetteville, Arkansas, by one of the homeowners living in the area. After the Fayetteville Police Department was notified about the same, several patrol officers and detectives rushed to the scene. They determined that 47-year-old Mario died of a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The authorities also deduced that his remains were dumped there, as several witnesses nearby noticed an unusual car parked in the area. Thus, a homicide investigation was immediately launched.
Mario Miller’s Death Was Linked to Three Individuals After Months of Investigation
In the initial weeks and months, the authorities could not make any significant progress whatsoever in the case, as every other lead led them to a dead end. However, after months and months of investigation, they linked a few suspects — Steven Rice, Keishayla Hill, and Devontae Herred — to the homicide and zeroed in on them. After gathering enough evidence against them, the detectives obtained arrest warrants for Steven and Keishayla for accomplice to capital murder and tampering with physical evidence, and for Devontae for tampering with physical evidence.
The investigators concluded that Mario Miller was allegedly robbed at gunpoint and killed by Steven and Keishayla, before stealing his 2011 Dodge Challenger. After several months of investigation, the Fayetteville Police Department finally located Steven and Keishayla in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Devontae in Memphis, Tennessee, and arrested them on June 1, 2021. Steven was charged with first-degree murder as well as tampering with evidence. Meanwhile, the other two accomplices were also charged in connection with Mario’s demise.
Steven and Keishayla Are Currently Incarcerated at Separate Arkansas Prison Facilities
While Steven Rice pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, Keishayla Hill made a deal in order to receive a reduced sentence. In exchange, she agreed to testify against Steven at his trial. On February 27, 2024, Steven’s trial got underway. During his trial, the prosecution brought Keishayla to the stand. She testified that she pawned the gun after Steven shot Mario to death on the fateful day. The defense, on the other hand, told the jury that the defendant killed Mario because Keishayla, his close friend, had told him that Mario had raped her. Thus, the defense tried to convince the jury that Steven should not be convicted of capital murder.
On just the second day of the trial, on February 28, the jury went into deliberation and reached a final verdict. They found Steven Rice guilty of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence, while acquitting him of capital murder. Later, the killer was sentenced to 24 to 30 years in prison for the murder conviction and an additional six years for the tampering with evidence conviction. Meanwhile, Keishayla Hill was sentenced to 40 years in prison for her involvement in the crime. As of today, Steven Rice is serving his sentence at Pine Bluff Unit in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, with his parole eligibility scheduled for April 2031. On the other hand, Keishayla is incarcerated at McPherson Unit in Newport, Arkansas, with her parole scheduled for June 2049.
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