Mental illness emerged as a possible defense Monday for a 29-year-old Sonoma County man charged with murdering his sister's boyfriend at his Alexander Valley home east of Healdsburg.
Jarrod Miller entered dual pleas of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity at his first court appearance since a judge ruled earlier this month there was evidence to try him for the slaying of Tim Neuer, also 29.
Judge Arthur Wick appointed two doctors to evaluate Miller and report back findings on Dec. 12.
If Miller is deemed to have been insane at the time of the March 8 killing, he could be sent to a state mental hospital upon conviction instead of life in prison.
His trial is set for Jan. 27.
"We relied on input from family and mental health professionals to enter this plea at this stage," said his lawyer, Joe Bisbiglia.
A witness testified at a preliminary hearing earlier this month that Miller came to Neuer's house, got into an argument with him and shot him three times.
John Ross Parent, who testified he had been giving Neuer a haircut when Miller arrived, said Miller fired two shots from across the living room and then stepped closer for the final shot at Neuer's head.
Miller's sister, Mandy Miller, tried to stop her brother but he pushed her aside before shooting her boyfriend, Parent testified.
Miller was arrested the same night after he fled in his Suburban. Police found an empty box for a handgun and a receipt showing it had been purchased in Nevada three days earlier.
Judge Wick described the shooting as "execution-style."
Prosecutors have not given a motive for the slaying. Police said they found hundreds of marijuana plants at Neuer's home.
Miller's mother said she sought help from mental health professionals for the Rio Nido man following a car crash and death of an uncle that sent him into a tailspin.
More recently, Miller had been living with Neuer and his sister before they asked him to move out to Cloverdale.
Prosecutors formally amended the criminal complaint against Miller Monday, adding a residential burglary charge.
He faces a maximum of two 25-to-life prison sentences, prosecutor Scott Jamar said.
His trial will have two phases. First jurors will decide his guilt or innocence and then deliberate whether he was sane at the time.
If the doctors examining Miller determine beforehand that he was sane, he will be allowed to withdraw the insanity plea before trial.
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