A suspect who pleaded guilty to murdering Patrice Wilson, a Detroit nurse who was kidnapped outside of her work and eventually found dead, was sentenced on Tuesday.
Jamere Miller, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 35-60 years in prison, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced. Miller was originally facing 10 different charges. The first-degree murder and felony murder counts with dismissed, along with several other charges.
Prosecutors say Miller kidnapped Patrice Wilson on May 13 outside of Detroit Receiving Hospital where she was leaving work as a nurse.
Wilson was found dead inside her vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds in Novi the next day.
Miller was reportedly Wilson's ex-boyfriend, and Detroit Police Chief James White said he has a significant criminal history.
"He is a violent person. He has a significant criminal history and there is a history of domestic violence associated with that as well," White said at the time Miller was arrested.
Worthy said the most dangerous and violent time for a domestic violence victim is when they are trying to leave.
"She was simply trying to live her life, work hard, and break off a relationship that was not good for her," Worthy said.
"Hopefully this brings some degree of closure to the family and certainly justice to this family," White said.
When 7 Action News spoke to Patrice’s mother, Roslind Livingston, she said Miller wouldn’t let her daughter move on after they broke up.
"The more she pulled away....He was sending flowers. If you go by her house, there are things at her door that she kind of like left there to let him know 'I am not accepting things from you,'” she said.
Police say this year there have been 12 homicides in the city of Detroit with connections to domestic violence. They say this case is a grave reminder that there needs to be more support and resources for victims.
"In this instance, this is somebody who did what she could to separate herself from that situation. Unfortunately though, these type of offenders don't take no for an answer and more needs to be done to protect our victims. There's PPOs and things like that but we'd certainly like to see a lot more being done before someone else has to lose their life," said White.
The department's domestic violence victim assistance unit can be reached at 313-833-1660; they are available 24/7 to help.
