Ex-fiancé of missing Charlotte Murray jailed for murder

The former fiancé of missing Co Tyrone woman Charlotte Murray, whose body has never been found, has been jailed for 16 years for her murder.

Johnny Miller, a 49-year-old chef from Redford Park in Dungannon, was unanimously found guilty last October – just weeks before the seventh anniversary of Charlotte’s disappearance.

He has lodged an appeal against his conviction.

However, sentencing went ahead on Monday at Dungannon Crown Court.

Judge Stephen Fowler told Miller he would have to serve a minimum of 16 years of his life sentence before ever being considered for release.

The judge acknowledged the devastating impact on Charlotte’s family that her body has never been recovered, nor likely to be.

“This has caused and will continue to cause the family considerable pain, distress and hurt,” he said.

“I regard this as the most serious aggravating feature of this case.”

Judge Fowler added that Charlotte’s disappearance made it impossible to say how she died or what injuries she suffered.

He said he was satisfied the reason for that was “to evade detection and destroy evidence”.

Charlotte Murray has been missing since 2012 and her still grieving family have appealed for a law to stop killers becoming eligible for parole if they refuse to give up their victims’ bodies.

They reiterated that appeal outside the courthouse following Miller’s sentencing.

“We would like to ask our local politicians to bring into place a Charlotte’s Law to compel murderers such as Mr Miller to divulge the location of their victims - failing this, they do not stand a chance of parole,” they said.

And in a direct appeal to Miller, they asked him: “Tell us where Charlotte’s body is and let us bring Charlotte home. We want to say our goodbyes in peace.”

Police have also urged Johnny Miller, or anyone else who knows the whereabouts of Charlotte’s body to come forward for her family’s sake.

PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Eamonn Corrigan said: “Johnny Miller has been sentenced today for killing Charlotte Murray, but the only explanation he’s given about Charlotte’s disappearance are the lies that the jury ultimately rejected.

“He still refuses to say where her remains are. This is denying her friends and family the chance to say their final goodbyes and to know the truth about what happened to her.

“His cowardly silence is cruel and is prolonging the suffering and distress for Charlotte’s family.

“They have already been through unimaginable turmoil and have been robbed of the normal events they should have enjoyed as a family over the past seven years.”

In a direct appeal to Miller, DCI Corrigan said: “Johnny, imagine it is your mother standing where Charlotte’s mother Mary stands today. Not able to lay her child to rest.

“Do the decent thing, end this suffering and tell us where Charlotte is.”

He added: “It’s possible other people also know where Charlotte’s body is, or what happened to her.

“If you do, come forward now with the information as we need to bring Charlotte home to her family. It is the honourable thing to do and is the very least Charlotte’s family deserve.

“What if this was your daughter or sister?”

Anyone with information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is asked to contact police on 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.