Illinois Man Sentenced for 1984 Murder

Matthew Russell Brown, a 67-year-old man from Illinois, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the 1984 stabbing death of Robert A. Miller in Minneapolis. Brown was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with credit for 457 days already served, and is expected to serve the first 12½ years in prison before transitioning to supervised release. Advances in DNA technology played a crucial role in solving this cold case, as investigators identified Brown through DNA found on a discarded cup linked to the crime scene. The murder occurred during a home invasion on July 17, 1984, when Brown attacked two women, resulting in Miller's death. The plea deal was made to spare the victim's family the trauma of a trial, and they expressed relief at the resolution of the case. Brown admitted to breaking into the apartment but claims not to remember the murder itself, acknowledging the evidence against him.