A Humble Life: A Suspicious Death - 83 Years LaterIf you haven't already, go back to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4 before reading this one. I promise, its worth it. So much has happened since this story began in 1890. 50 years of growth, loss, hardship, hard work, new loves, new life, stress, joy, and memories. The Miller family's experience wasn't really unique for the time, but it is far from what a typical American family experiences today. Improvements in pharmaceuticals and medical care, access to that care, and better community education regarding health and medicine helped to increase life expectancy. Illnesses and conditions that were deadly to members of Stella's family are now diagnosed in a timely manner and effectively treated. And what about Stella? The "nervousness" her husband described and the fretful expression that we see in her photo could have been attributed to any number of psychological issues but, in 1930s America, her symptoms were not recorded or well reported. We only know that her husband called her "frail and very nervous". Could she have received proper treatment if she were living in the 21st century? Probably. Her options were limited, though, in 1939. So limited, in fact, that she might have felt hopeless and considered ending her life. Might have.... 1940 Allegheny County, PA - What's Going on at Chestnut Street?After the searches in early January 1940, detectives knew that Stella's chance of survival out in the elements was miniscule, at best, and that each day's passing was one more day that she was out there, somewhere, waiting to be found. Without much notice from the public, the case focus changed from search and possible rescue to a recovery. Detectives had told newspapers about the note to Dorothy, found in the kitchen, and of a second note that was found later when investigators were looking around the O'Neill home. On the dresser in Stella and Walter's room, they found the following note: According to the limited information in newspapers, no one knew when the note had been written, nor could they confirm that Stella wrote it. Could it be a makeshift will, easily found if some illness or injury should cut her life short? A hurried note, scrawled in the moments before she left her home for the last time with no plans to return, making sure that her affairs would be dealt with appropriately? Was it forged by another's hand to provide 'evidence' of 'Stella's wishes' after her disappearance? Investigators collected the note and checked area banks for her account. At the time of her disappearance, detectives said that Stella had $425 in a bank account which had not been "called for" in the weeks since she was last seen. The way the articles are written gives the impression that this was Stella's account, not a shared account, which is incorrect. In 1939, women were not allowed to have their own bank account. They could have accounts with their husbands, or no account at all. While the note can be interpreted as suspiciously convenient for Walter, the unemployed steamfitter with a mortgage and four children to take care of, it seems unlikely that he would not have had access to it already. The note will remain a thorn in the side of the investigation, even now, long since the case was considered closed and anyone with firsthand knowledge passed away. Very little was released to the newspapers, meaning one of two things: detectives withheld information to protect the integrity of the investigation or there was nothing else to say. Had they shown their hand in the early days, hoping full transparency would help bring Stella home? That is the most likely scenario, in my opinion. Walter wasn't saying much, the police weren't learning much, and newspapers couldn't report on much. Until February 9, 1940. Rain turned to snow as that Saturday went on. Temperatures fluctuated between 45 degrees (F) that morning to nearly 25 degrees overnight. As the snow settled on Edgeworth, the sun was beginning its slow descent toward the horizon. At nearly 1 pm, two McKees Rocks men, Joseph Evans, 36, and Joseph Kobeda, 32, were strolling along the railroad tracks in Edgeworth when they noticed something floating in the river. As they got closer, the men realized that it was a person, unmoving and unresponsive. One man stayed at the railroad tracks while the other ran to notify the Sewickley Police. They, then, called the Edgeworth Police and County Morgue. Chief David Gratten and Deputy Coroner Jules Filo arrived to the scene in short order. To avoid a public spectacle, and in hopes of quickly identifying the decedent, the body would need to be carefully pulled from the river, through the patch of brush, and over the railroad tracks. Small chunks of ice slowly floated by as the men stepped into the frigid water, reaching out to gently take hold of the body before the river carried it away. Without the gradual slope from bank to the river's bottom, police had to be mindful of their footing. Near the bank at Edgeworth, 8 ft of water became 16 ft before reaching 24-26 ft at its deepest. A current of about 1.4 mph, based on historical data, and temperatures around 35 degrees (F), paired with the depth of the water, made the recovery a dangerous task for police. They would need to work quickly, safely, and efficiently. By late afternoon, the body was on its way to the Allegheny County morgue. ![]() Detectives had a strong suspicion about who had been recovered from the river, but a formal identification would need to be done. Once that was taken care of, they would have to address the questions that had floated to the surface with the body. The Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph had a small box called "Text for Today", giving short scriptures from the Bible. That morning's paper read: "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor; for we are members, one of another - Ephesians 4:25" Detective Sam Graham had been searching for the truth, even a speck of it, for nearly three months. He had been honest with the newspapers, saying that they hadn't found a single clue in Stella's case but, on the evening of February 9th, Detective Graham got a call that would send him reeling. As Coroner P.J. Henney and Deputy Coroner Jules Filo did their initial examination of the body, only a few things were definite: It was the body of a woman, she was wearing some jewelry, and she hadn't just entered the water that day. News of the discovery spread through the veins of Allegheny County, reaching strangers and friends alike. Authorities sent for Walter O'Neill and William Miller, hoping that one of the men could identify the body. William rushed to downtown Pittsburgh and, before he could really process his cruel errand, he had arrived. The coroner was notified that William was there to view the body. The body that William knew, before he had even arrived at the morgue, had once been his sister. They tried to warn him about the state of the remains, careful not to sound as though they doubted his fortitude or mettle. No amount of forewarning could prepare him for what waited on that cold table. William took a deep breath, feeling his heart thrashing beneath his shirt pockets, steadying his hands on the door. His skin crawled as a cold chill swept over him. His heart demanded that he turn around and retreat to the safety and comfort of home, but he knew that he would not leave until he was certain, one way or the other. It wouldn't take long, but any length of time was too long under the circumstances. As William's gaze dropped to the body on the table, he fought the urge to gasp. How could this be their Stella? Even with the state of her remains, he couldn't deny the reality of what lay before him. Her rings, which had almost always adorned her small, thin hands, now encircled the deteriorating fingers of a body he barely recognized. He could hardly bear to look upon her face, though the nearly-freezing waters had helped significantly to slow decomposition. This was not their Stella as they had known her, but it was Stella nonetheless. "That's her. Those are her rings," William sighed and shook his head, "It's Stella, alright." They thanked William for coming down, expressed their condolences and walked him to the door. As he stepped into the frigid night air, William couldn't be sure what he dreaded more: identifying Stella's body or having to tell Albert, Gertie, Mary, Ella, and John. He started his journey home, unaware that Walter had finally shown up at the morgue. Death had moved on weeks before, though it clung to the Miller family. It had made its way back to Aleppo, lying in wait. Where there had once been nine siblings, only six remained, though that number was always subject to change with the will of Death's desires. While they were distracted by their grief, they didn't notice the dark visitor's arrival. Stella had been taken, but by the hands of what mortal? Detective Graham had been making his way around Ross Township, trying to find Walter, but hadn't had any luck. Little did he know, Walter had walked into the morgue and, when Deputy Coroner Jules Filo told him that his wife had been drowned, he turned and left almost as abruptly as he had arrived. When Detective Graham stopped by the morgue, hoping for more information, he was told about Walter's odd, brief visit. "I've been looking for him! You could have kept him here, you know," Graham grumbled. "We weren't aware that you wanted to speak with him," Jules said, returning to his work. Frustrated by the poor timing and more eager to talk to Walter, Detective Graham thanked the men for their time and set off for Princeton Avenue. By the next morning, newspaper headlines broke the news to the citizens of Allegheny County. The same day that headlines shared news of Stella's fate, just one day after she was identified by her brother, a small death notice appeared in the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph: "O'NEILL - Dec 11, 1939, Stella Miller, beloved wife of Walter O'Neill, late of Princeton Ave., West View. Funeral from the William Sirlin Funeral Home. 620 E Ohio St., on Monday. Time later." It had barely been a full day since Stella was pulled from the water, but the plans to lay her to rest were made quickly. The next day, February 11, the notice was updated with: "Requiem high mass at St. Athanasius Church, West View, at 9 a.m." St. Athanasius Church had been a place of guidance and peace for Stella and it seemed fitting that she would return, one last time, for the peace she so desperately sought. There was no formal obituary for her, no mention of her children or siblings, and no further mention of her case. Detectives had ordered an autopsy, according to a few articles from February 10th, but it there is no evidence that one was performed. The death certificate does not note an autopsy having occurred and, as far as I've found, there is no existing record of an autopsy or coroner's inquest for Stella. Beyond basic identifying information, the death certificate provides very little to those seeking to understand how Stella, a fairly young wife and mother, had come to be in the river that day. The certificate was filed on February 10th, a mere 12 hours after her remains were recovered. There was no estimated post-mortem interval (time between death and examination). In the section where a time and date of death would typically be noted, it simply says "Found Feb 9, 1940" and "I viewed the deceased Feb 9, 1940. Death is said to have occurred on the date stated above at 12:30 pm". The most important part of Stella's death certificate, in my opinion, is the portion discussing the principal cause of death and related causes of importance. It says: "Asphyxiation due to drowning while temporarily insane" In Part 6, we'll take a closer look at what could have caused Stella's untimely death, including theories about events leading up to her death and the timeline between her disappearance and discovery. Was she a woman struggling with her mental health, pushed to the point of a self-induced end? Was Walter's suspicious behavior a personality flaw or the unwitting transparency of a guilty man? Would Stella's children, siblings, and friends ever get the answers they deserved?
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EmilyTrue crime, cold case, long-term missing/unidentified, and all things mystery. I've always been interested, but now I'm involved in the search. Archives
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Photos used under Creative Commons from Jinx!, Damian Gadal