Donald Gene Miller was born on December 28, 1954, in Lansing, Michigan. He was the second of three children born to Gene and Elaine Miller. His family lived in a middle-class neighborhood in East Lansing. His parents were known to be religious and respected members of the community. They took good care of their children and provided a stable home environment.

Miller attended East Lansing High School during the early 1970s. He was recognized as a good student and participated in several extracurricular activities. He played the trombone in the school’s marching band and was a youth minister at his church. He was considered popular among his peers. During his time in high school, he met Martha Sue Young, who later became his girlfriend.

After graduating from high school in 1973, Miller enrolled at Michigan State University. He studied criminal law and maintained his relationship with Young. To support himself, he worked part-time as a construction worker while managing his studies. In late 1976, Miller proposed to Young, and she accepted. However, their engagement ended when she broke off the relationship in December of that year.

In late 1976, Donald Gene Miller proposed to his girlfriend, Martha Sue Young. She accepted, but later broke off the engagement in December. On New Year's Eve 1977, Miller met with Young. In the early hours of January 1, 1977, he assaulted and strangled her. After her parents reported her missing, police investigated and discovered witnesses who last saw them together. However, without her body and clear evidence, Miller was released after questioning.

On October 20, 1977, hunters found Young's clothes and purse near a lake, with her underwear neatly folded underneath. Police suspected the killer had posed the scene. On June 15, 1978, Miller murdered Marita Choquette, stabbing her 17 times and cutting off her hands afterward. He hid her body under cinderblocks.

Miller then killed 21-year-old Wendy Bush on June 27. Witnesses noted seeing her with a tall white man on campus. His next victim was 30-year-old Kristine Guske Stuart. He attacked her on August 14, strangled her, and disposed of her body outside of town.

On August 16, 1978, Miller sought to use a phone at the home of 14-year-old Lisa Gilbert, who was home alone. He tied her up, beat, and raped her. When her younger brother, Randy, returned home and confronted Miller, Lisa escaped outside, drawing attention. Miller attempted to kill Randy but he survived despite serious injuries.

Miller drove off but was soon arrested based on descriptions from witnesses. He was charged with Lisa’s rape and attempted murder. The trial began in spring 1979. The evidence included fingerprints and semen linking him to the attacks. Despite this, Miller claimed he had multiple personality disorder. He was found guilty on all charges in May 1979 and sentenced to 50 years in prison.

At that point, he was still suspected of Young's murder. In July 1979, he offered a plea deal. He would plead guilty to four murders and reveal the location of the bodies in exchange for lesser charges. The plea was accepted, and Miller led authorities to the locations of Young, Stuart, and Bush’s remains.

In subsequent interviews, Miller detailed how he killed each victim. He explained that he strangled Young in anger and that he ran over Stuart, mistaking her for Young in a moment of panic. Miller pleaded guilty to several counts of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to a total of 15 years for his crimes.

After serving 10 years, he was eligible for parole but was denied due to protests from victims’ families. Over the years, he applied multiple times for parole but faced continuous rejection. In 1998, he was found guilty of possessing a shoelace in prison, which could have been used as a weapon, resulting in an additional 40-year sentence.

In the 2010s, reforms allowed some prisoners to apply for parole out of state. Miller applied but was denied again. He continued to submit applications over the years. Each time, the families of his victims and the authorities worked to prevent his release. His next opportunity for parole will be in 2027, with a projected release date in 2031 if he serves his full sentence.