DOTHAN, Ala. — A Dothan man accused of strangling his wife to death will soon learn whether he will be granted bond as he awaits trial. Stephen Miller, 49, is facing charges related to the death of his wife, Gloria Miller, and a bond hearing is set for Thursday, March 13.
Miller, who was arrested in late February, is currently being held on a $1.5 million bond, which authorities have stated is essentially a no-bond situation in Houston County due to the serious nature of the charges. Miller is accused of killing his wife during an argument on Saturday before dumping her body in a dry creek bed under a bridge, located over the Geneva County line.
According to Dothan Police, the couple’s violent confrontation led to Miller allegedly strangling his wife before disposing of her body in a secluded area. The case took a darker turn when it was revealed that Miller had a history of filing protection orders against his wife, claiming she had a history of mental abuse. In early January, Miller filed a protection order against Gloria, alleging that she had pushed him, threatened him, and made remarks about “destroying” him. Miller also described a history of mental health issues that had led to Gloria being placed in a mental hospital at Southeast Health.
This was not the first time Miller sought legal protection. In July of 2024, he filed a similar order, accusing his wife of threatening to kill him, their son, and their son’s ex-wife. However, Miller requested the dismissal of the order shortly after it was filed.
Gloria Miller’s family had also been involved in legal proceedings. In January 2024, the couple’s daughter filed a protection order against her mother, accusing Gloria of harassment. The daughter claimed she had been estranged from her mother for over three years, following an incident in 2018 when Gloria allegedly pulled a knife on her.
The investigation into Gloria’s disappearance began when her family reported her missing on February 24. Miller’s family made several public appeals on social media for information about her whereabouts, with Miller himself calling the local news station, WDHN, to report her missing. However, the case took a dramatic turn on Tuesday evening when investigators began questioning Miller, and inconsistencies in his story led authorities to name him as a suspect.
Police later revealed that Miller had placed his wife’s phone and purse outside of a store, about five miles from the couple’s residence on Halls Mills Road. It remains unclear why he chose to leave these items at that location.
Following further investigation, Miller confessed to the crime, according to Lieutenant Hall of the Dothan Police Department. The details of his confession have not been fully disclosed, but it is believed that Miller’s story began to unravel during interviews with investigators.
As Miller prepares for his bond hearing, it is uncertain whether he will be granted bond, given the severity of the charges and the circumstances surrounding his arrest. The $1.5 million bond currently in place is expected to remain, as authorities consider Miller a flight risk and a danger to the community.
The case continues to shock the local community, and as the legal proceedings move forward, questions remain about the extent of the domestic issues that led to this tragic event.
