Suvechha Sarkar
The residents of Goliad, Texas, began the morning of June 25, 2003, as usual. However, the tight-knit community was rocked to its core when a sudden fire led to the untimely demise of 31-year-old Patricia Leigh Mills. Although the case went cold after the initial investigation, things changed when it was reopened around 8 years later. NBC’s ‘Dateline: Secrets in the Ashes’ focuses on its complex re-investigation during which troubling witness accounts brought the killer to light. The episode further features law enforcement officials who worked diligently on the case to uncover the truth.
Patricia Leigh Mills’ Remains Were Found Inside Her House After the Fire Was Extinguished
Born on March 5, 1972, Patricia Leigh Wiley brought immense joy into the lives of her parents, Richard L. Sr. and Patricia A. Wiley. She grew up in a household filled with love and laughter alongside her beloved sisters, Sharon and Jo Ann, and her brothers, Richard Lee Jr. and Steven. Patricia was known among her loved ones for her cheerful personality and her faith. It even led her to join the Assembly of God church. At some point in her adulthood, Patricia crossed paths with Delbert Andrew Mills. It wasn’t long before they began dating and ultimately tied the knot. Around 1997, they welcomed their son, John Michael Mills, into the world. Over time, the family settled down at 127 South San Patricio Street in Goliad, Texas, and she slipped into the role of a housewife.
Everything appeared to be going well until Patricia’s life came to a sudden halt on June 25, 2003. On that fateful day, Delbert left home for work in the morning. Around 8:30 am, a person, Mildred Ingram, visiting a nearby store, noticed that Patricia’s house was on fire and asked the store manager to contact the fire department immediately. According to reports, another individual, L.N. Garcia, was also driving by at the time and noticed the fire. As he approached the house, he reportedly found the 6-year-old John escaping the fire through a window, who then L.N. that his mother was still inside the home. Court records state that before help arrived, Mildred tried to get into the house, but in vain, since the back door was padlocked.
Reports indicate that the garden hose at the scene was described as “chopped up,” which prevented others from controlling the fire. After the officials extinguished the fire and entered the house, they unfortunately found Patricia dead. They reportedly found no functioning smoke detectors inside the home. As investigators from the fire department inspected the scene, they determined that the fire had started in the living room. In that room, they also discovered a Coleman lantern with its cap missing from the base. However, they were unable to find the cause of the fire, which was later classified as undetermined. The autopsy reports reportedly revealed carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation as the causes of Patricia’s death.
Officials Focused on Someone Close to Patricia After Reopening the Case
When Delbert was notified about the fire, he rushed to the scene from work. According to court records, when questioned about the lantern found at the scene, he claimed it was only for decoration. Despite a thorough investigation, the authorities were unable to determine the cause of the fire. Gradually, the case went cold due to a lack of proper leads. However, everything changed when officials reopened the case in 2011. As per reports, they questioned Mildred, who claimed that Delbert appeared unconcerned at the scene on learning that his wife was dead. Official records indicate that when some of Patricia’s family members were questioned, they claimed there were two working smoke detectors in the house, contradicting what the investigators found at the scene.
According to court records, detectives learned that Delbert allegedly used lanterns in his home to save on electricity bills, which raised red flags because he had claimed that the lanterns were for decoration. Reports state that Patricia’s brother, Richard, also came forward and claimed that during his regular phone calls with his sister, she told him that Delbert was physically abusing her. In his statement, he claimed that Patricia called a few days before the murder and told him Delbert had threatened her that she would only be able to leave the house in a “body bag.” As per the court record, she also told Richard about discovering Delbert having an affair with Allison Mills (now Allison Salinas).
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Multiple Witness Testimonies Ultimately Brought the Killer to Justice
As investigators dug deeper, Patricia’s niece, Jessica Burdette, claimed to the authorities that about a month before her aunt’s murder, Patricia had told her about Delbert’s affair with Allison. Jessica alleged that when Patricia told Delbert about getting a divorce in her presence, he allegedly threatened to kill Patricia before getting a divorce and paying child support. However, it is essential to note that Allison was never charged in relation to Patricia’s murder. Further court records indicate that several other witnesses came forward claiming that Delbert physically and verbally abused Patricia and threatened to kill her on multiple occasions. According to Patricia’s sister, Sharon, on June 25, 2003, Delbert allegedly admitted to a fight with Patricia that morning.
Investigative reports indicate that Delbert allegedly told Sharon that he didn’t have any life insurance on Patricia. However, the authorities reportedly learned that Delbert was the beneficiary of $15,000 payout from Patricia’s life insurance policy. According to police records, in the months and years following the murder, Delbert allegedly bragged about starting a fire and making it look like an accident. Further reports state that several witnesses claimed that Delbert had confessed that he had set the fire that killed Patricia. According to the court record, another witness claimed that he had admitted to keeping a lit cigarette after turning on the gas before leaving for work that day.
Additionally, Delbert’s friend later told authorities that Delbert insisted on helping kill his friend’s wife and asked for $10,000 as payment from the life insurance, as per reports. Furthermore, Delbert had reportedly married Allison not more than just two months after Patricia’s death, but they later got divorced in August 2008. Ultimately, he was arrested in December 2011 and charged with the murder of Patricia. Delbert’s jury trial commenced on January 14, 2013, and he was convicted of murder, a first-degree felony offense. He was sentenced to life in prison on January 17, 2013, with eligibility for parole not before November 29, 2041.
