The Death of Cork Miller: Accident or Murder

In the early morning hours of October 8, 1964, thirty-four-year-old housewife and mother of three Lucille Miller placed a frantic call to the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department to report that there had been a car accident on remote Banyan Street and her husband had been killed. When deputies arrived at the scene, the car was still in flames and, as Lucille had described, her husband Gordon “Cork” Miller was in the passenger seat, nearly unrecognizable from the extent of the fire damage. The evidence at the scene appeared to support Lucille’s version of events; the car had gone off the road while they were driving and caught fire. Lucille managed to get out of the car, but Cork was unconscious and she was unable to get him out. Less than twelve hours later, however, Lucille’s story began to fall apart and by the end of the day she was arrested for the murder of her husband. At first, the case against Lucille Miller seemed relatively straightforward; she killed her husband for the insurance money and to pursue a relationship with another man. But as the investigation unfolded and investigators began digging into the Miller’s lives, the story became significantly more complicated and no one seemed able to decide whether Cork’s death was in fact a murder. Want to buy our GORGEOUS Tarot Deck designed by the incredibly talented Marisa Aragón Ware?