Palmer Judge Sentences Saccheus to 50 Years for 2019 Murder of Girlfriend

October 30, 2024

(Palmer, AK) - Today, Palmer Superior Court Judge Kristin Stohler sentenced 40-year-old Martin Saccheus to 65 years with 15 years suspended for the 2019 murder of his girlfriend Mingnuna Miller. Saccheus faces 10 years of probation supervision upon release.

During sentencing, Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Del Frate said, "This was a domestic violence murder - unfortunately consistent with a trend in Alaska that women who are murdered are most commonly murdered by an intimate partner. Alaska Native women specifically suffer disproportionately higher rates of domestic violence. While these might be statistical realities, this behavior is not acceptable nor should it be normalized. This court's sentence should demonstrate the community's condemnation of the conduct and reject that it is consistent with our societal norms in the State of Alaska."

While imposing sentence, Judge Stohler found that there was substantial evidence presented at trial that Miller died from strangulation, and Saccheus has been on notice for at least 20 years that he misuses alcohol and is a threat to others when he consumes alcohol. She additionally found that Saccheus has not taken responsibility for his actions that caused Miller's death.

On Nov. 8, 2019, Palmer police officers responded to a motel in Palmer regarding a woman who was not breathing. Life saving measures were not successful and an autopsy was later performed. The medical examiner concluded that injuries on her body showed she died from strangulation, and investigation revealed that Saccheus had strangled Miller that night. The case went to trial on May 28, 2024. On June 13, 2024 a jury in Palmer convicted Martin Saccheus of second-degree murder in the 2019 death of his girlfriend, Mingnuna Miller.

CONTACT: Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Del Frate at [email protected]

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Department Media Contacts: Communications Director Patty Sullivan at [email protected] or (907) 269-6368. Information Officer Sam Curtis at [email protected] or (907) 269-6269.