A shocking and disturbing case has emerged in Minnesota, where a 56-year-old man stands accused of killing his own mother and dismembering her body. Troy Michael Mitteness was arrested last week and charged with murdering his 82-year-old mother, Sandra Viola Mitteness. The arrest came after authorities discovered that Mitteness had been stealing from his mother, leading to a confrontation that ended in tragedy.
Troy Mitteness was already in custody on charges of theft, mail theft, and check forgery when he was charged with his mother’s murder. The investigation began when officers from the Burnsville Police Department were looking into reports of mail theft allegedly committed by Mitteness. During their inquiry, they discovered that some of the stolen proceeds had been deposited into his mother’s bank account.
When detectives attempted to speak with Sandra Mitteness, Troy initially claimed she was in South Dakota. However, he later changed his story, stating that she had died on June 14, 2022. Suspicious of his claims, the police obtained a search warrant for Mitteness’ home. Inside, they found an obituary indicating Sandra’s death on that date. However, when they contacted the funeral home, they denied providing any post-mortem care or funeral services for her.
Family members informed the police that they had not seen Sandra Mitteness in about a year and believed she was dead based on Troy’s claims. He had allegedly told them that she had fallen down the stairs in June 2022 and was hospitalized with COVID-19. According to police, Troy claimed she died shortly after the fall.
Further investigation revealed that Troy had sold his mother’s car after claiming she had passed away. Forensic tests conducted on the vehicle indicated the presence of blood in the trunk. A subsequent search of the home shared by Troy and his mother uncovered blood on the stairs, as well as a mattress and box spring with large dark red stains.
During a post-Miranda interview with detectives, Troy Mitteness confessed to killing his mother. He stated that he had spent all of her money, and she had become suspicious and wanted to review her finances. Prior to the murder, he had researched online how to kill an elderly person without using poison and the best spots to stab someone for a quick and painless death. After killing his mother, Troy dismembered her body and placed the remains in plastic tote bins, which he then discarded in various ditches along the state highway.
Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena expressed her shock and condolences to the family, calling this one of the most horrific and disturbing cases in her 34-year career. Troy Mitteness is currently being held in the Dakota County Jail on a $2 million bond and is scheduled to appear in court for an Omnibus Hearing on July 20th.