Wash. Couple Accused of Murdering Girl, 8, Then Driving to S.D. with Body in U-Haul Trailer

Mar. 15, 2025

Aleksander Kurmoyarov, Mandie Miller.Photo: Davison County Sheriff (2)

A Washington State couple is accused of murdering the woman’s 8-year-old daughter, then driving to South Dakota where police discovered the girl’s body in the back of a U-Haul trailer.

The couple was initially charged with one count of failure to notify law enforcement of the death of a child. Subsequently, charges of second-degree murder were filed against both, an official with the Davison County Jail in South Dakota tells PEOPLE.

According to theSpokesman-Reviewof Spokane, Wash., both Kurmoyarov and Miller are additionally charged with unlawful imprisonment and first-degree criminal mistreatment. The newspaper, citing search warrants, identifies the child as Meelah Miller, who was Miller’s niece and her adopted daughter.

During an interview with Mitchell police, Kurmoyarov allegedly said the child died in Washington State on Halloween — yet Miller allegedly told police the girl died on Sept. 10, the police news release states.

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According to the release, Kurmoyarov allegedly told Mitchell officers that he didn’t seek medical attention for the girl when she died “because he and Miller wanted to spend more time with her and that he was afraid that they would get in trouble.”

According to theSpokesman-Review, search warrants state that the couple was allegedly attempting to bring the girl’s body back to the Rosebud Indian Reservation to be buried, since Miller is a member of the Rosebud Sioux tribe.

KREMand theSpokesman-Review, citing court documents, reports the girl allegedly endured horrific abuse. Kurmoyarov allegedly told police in Mitchell that broken toes would be found during the girl’s autopsy because, he said, Miller would hit the child’s toes with a hammer. Kurmoyarov allegedly admitted to police he would tie Meelah up, and that he had zip-tied her to a car seat for hours on the day she died.

According to the warrants, a Mitchell police detective said the girl’s body looked small and malnourished for that of an 8-year-old child, theSpokesman-Reviewreports.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com