Deputies arrested a 67-year-old man on a murder charge, accusing him of killing his tenant and hiding the body in a barrel on his Cowlitz County property.
Ricky Miller was booked into the Cowlitz County Jail on charges of second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of human remains.
On December 16, one of Miller’s relatives called 911 to report that Miller had confessed to killing someone and that the body was hidden on his property on Old Lewis River Road.
Detectives obtained a search warrant and found the deceased, who was identified as 71-year-old Dennis Eugene Schmitt, “hidden inside of a barrel on the property,” according to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said that Miller was Schmitt’s landlord, and both men lived on Miller’s property in separate houses.
The relative calling 911 to report Miller’s confession suggests family members became aware of the killing and felt compelled to contact authorities rather than help conceal the crime. This decision to report a family member indicates the seriousness of what Miller disclosed.
The landlord-tenant relationship between Miller and Schmitt creates a power dynamic where the victim may have been financially dependent on the suspect for housing. Disputes over rent, property conditions, or personal conflicts could have escalated to violence.
The fact that both men lived on the same property in separate houses means they had regular contact and proximity that could intensify any conflicts. Unlike apartment buildings where tenants and landlords rarely interact, this arrangement meant daily encounters.
The second-degree murder charge rather than first-degree suggests prosecutors don’t believe the killing was premeditated. Second-degree murder involves intentional killing without premeditation or killing someone while committing certain felonies.
The unlawful disposal of human remains charge addresses the act of hiding Schmitt’s body in a barrel. Washington law requires that deaths be reported to authorities and that human remains be handled according to legal procedures.
Hiding a body in a barrel represents an attempt to conceal the crime and delay discovery. The barrel would contain and confine the remains, potentially reducing odor and making the body less likely to be found by casual observation.
The search warrant requirement means detectives needed to present probable cause to a judge before searching Miller’s property. The relative’s 911 call reporting Miller’s confession likely provided that probable cause.
The Old Lewis River Road location places the property in a rural area of Cowlitz County where properties tend to be larger and more isolated than in urban areas. This isolation may have given Miller confidence that the hidden remains wouldn’t be discovered.
Schmitt’s age of 71 suggests an elderly man potentially vulnerable to physical confrontation. The 67-year-old Miller’s similar age means this wasn’t a case of a younger person overpowering an older victim through physical advantage.
The separate houses on the property indicate a landlord arrangement where Miller owned land with multiple structures and rented one to Schmitt. This setup is common in rural areas where property owners generate income from accessory dwelling units.
