The murder of Patricia Lee Mills

The murder of Patricia Lee Mills refers to the killing of Patricia Mills in Texas in 2012, for which her husband Delbert Andrew Mills was convicted of murder under Texas Penal Code § 19.02(b)(1). This is a state-level homicide case, not a federal offense or legal term, but rather a factual designation used in true crime coverage and law enforcement records to identify this specific killing.

Delbert Andrew Mills was found guilty after a bench trial of intentionally and knowingly causing Patricia's death by intentionally and knowingly setting fire to their residence. The Texas appellate court opinion confirms that the conviction was based on a finding that Mills acted with the requisite mental state of intent or knowledge when he caused the fatal fire. Under Texas Penal Code § 19.02(b)(1), a person commits murder if he or she intentionally or knowingly causes the death of an individual.

The case was reviewed by the Texas Thirteenth Court of Appeals in case number 13-13-00129-CR. Mills was sentenced to life in prison for the murder. The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains records identifying Patricia L. Mills as the victim in this case and noting that Delbert was found guilty and received a life sentence.

This case illustrates how arson can serve as the instrumentality of murder when the perpetrator acts with the intent to kill by setting a fire. The legal framework requires proof both that the defendant caused the fire and that he did so with the specific intent or knowledge that it would cause the victim's death. The phrase "the murder of Patricia Lee Mills" is used in true crime contexts and official records to refer to this particular homicide rather than denoting any distinct legal category.