JOHNNY DUANE MILES | “Red Dragon Rapist” | Death Sentence for a series of crimes including burglary, first-degree murder, first-degree forcible rape, second-degree robbery and false imprisonment by violence | “Feed the poor. Down with the goverenment [sic

Johnny D. Miles. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). N.p., N.d. Content unknown. SEALED.

On February 4, 1992, Nancy Willem did not come home from work at the Behavioral Health Services Clinic in Rialto. That evening, her roommate, Kristen Schutz, started calling the clinic, but the clinic’s phone lines were busy. When Schutz was not able to reach Willem, Schutz drove to the clinic. After entering the building through an unlocked back door, she found the door to the clinic ajar.

As she entered the clinic, she saw the reception area had been ransacked. She followed the blood on the floor from the reception area into one of the offices. There, she found Willem’s naked body between a couch and a coffee table. There was a telephone cord tied to her wrist and a sweater wrapped around her neck. There was also a handwritten note found on top of her abdomen that read: “Feed the poor. Down with the goverenment [sic].”

Schutz tried to call the police but realized that the telephone cords were missing. Once she reconnected one of the cords, she called 911. The police arrived and pronounced Willem dead on the scene. After securing the area and obtaining consent to search the clinic, the police collected blood and other bodily fluids from the reception area and office where Willem’s body was found. The police also recorded a video depicting the crime scene, which was played for the jury.

Dr. Nenita Duazo subsequently performed the autopsy on Willem’s body. Willem’s injuries were extensive. She had multiple lacerations of her scalp and forehead, a fractured jaw, a missing tooth, redness in her vagina, and a circular area that appeared to be a cigarette burn on her chest. She had bruising of her face, chest, back, arms, and legs, which, according to Dr. Duazo, indicated that Willem was alive when her injuries were inflicted. Internally, Willem had eight broken ribs, a tear in her left lung, two lacerations of her liver, and hemorrhage in her brain. These injuries were likely caused by the application of substantial and multiple instances of force while Willem was still alive. Willem also had hemorrhage in her eyes and neck, as well as a broken bone and broken cartilage in her neck, all of which indicated that she was manually strangled before her death. Dr. Duazo testified that Willem was killed by a combination of blunt force injuries and manual strangulation.

Johnny Duane Miles has a significant and complex legal history. Here’s more detailed information about him and his case: 

• Conviction: On March 17, 1999, Johnny Duane Miles was convicted of multiple charges, including burglary, first-degree murder, first-degree forcible rape, second-degree robbery, and false imprisonment by violence. These convictions were related to the murder of Nancy Willem and other separate incidents. 

• Death Sentence: Following the penalty phase of his trial, the jury sentenced Miles to death. His motion to modify the verdict was denied, and the death sentence was affirmed by the California Supreme Court. 

• Legal Challenges: Miles’ case involved legal challenges regarding the use of peremptory strikes during jury selection, which were scrutinized for potential racial bias. The California Supreme Court upheld the death penalty sentence, but there was a dissenting opinion concerning the removal of African-American jury candidates. 

• Supreme Court Review: The case was docketed for review by the U.S. Supreme Court, focusing on conflicts with binding precedent and existing circuit splits concerning the reasons for distinguishing jurors struck by the state from those accepted. 

• Background: Before his trial for the murder of Nancy Willem, Miles was already incarcerated, serving a sentence of 75 years and eight months for second-degree robbery, oral copulation with force, penetration with a foreign object, possession of a firearm by an ex-felon, and an enhancement of use of a firearm. 

• Other Crimes: Miles was also found guilty of crimes committed in Victorville and San Bernardino, which included robbing one man and raping two other women in separate but similar attacks following the Willem slaying. 

• Mental Health: During the penalty phase of his trial, Miles claimed that “ill angels” were controlling him, stating, “My body acted as a vessel and it was being controlled by them.” There was a competency trial for Miles after his conviction but before the penalty phase, where jurors found him competent. 

The motive behind Nancy Willem’s murder by Johnny Duane Miles was not explicitly detailed in the court documents. However, the circumstances of the crime suggest that the murder occurred during the commission of other felonies, including burglary, rape, and robbery. The jury found true the special circumstances that Willem was killed during the commission of these crimes. 

The case also involved a handwritten note found on top of Nancy Willem’s abdomen that read: “Feed the poor. Down with the goverenment [sic].” This note could suggest a possible motive or intention behind the crime, but it’s not clear whether this was directly related to Miles’ motivations or an attempt to mislead the investigation.

The timeline of events leading up to Nancy Willem’s murder, as detailed in court documents, is as follows: 

• February 4, 1992: Nancy Willem did not return home from her job at the Behavioral Health Services Clinic in Rialto. 

• That Evening: Nancy’s roommate, Kristen Schutz, began calling the clinic but found the phone lines busy. Unable to reach Nancy, Schutz drove to the clinic. 

• Upon Arrival: Schutz entered the clinic through an unlocked back door and noticed the reception area had been ransacked. She followed blood trails to an office where she discovered Nancy’s body between a couch and a coffee table. 

• Crime Scene: Nancy was found naked with a telephone cord tied to her wrist and a sweater wrapped around her neck. A handwritten note was placed on her abdomen, reading: “Feed the poor. Down with the goverenment [sic]”. 

• Police Involvement: After reconnecting a telephone cord, Schutz called 911. The police arrived and pronounced Nancy dead at the scene. 

This case arises from three separate incidents occurring in February 1992, which also included the rape, robbery, false imprisonment by violence, and penetration by a foreign object of two other victims.

The evidence linking Johnny Duane Miles to the murder of Nancy Willem included: 

• Physical Evidence: Blood and other bodily fluids were collected from the reception area and office where Nancy Willem’s body was found. This physical evidence was crucial in linking Miles to the crime scene. 

• Bank Security Footage: Miles was identified as the “Red Dragon Rapist” after bank security cameras caught images of a man, later identified as Miles, withdrawing money from a Pomona bank using Willem’s bank card. The man was wearing a baseball hat with “Red Dragon” written on it. 

• Jury Findings: The jury found true the special circumstances that Willem was killed during the commission of the burglary, rape, and robbery. This indicates that the evidence presented at trial convinced the jury of Miles’ involvement in these crimes. 

• Handwritten Note: A handwritten note found on top of Nancy Willem’s abdomen read: “Feed the poor. Down with the goverenment [sic].” While the relevance of this note to the motive is unclear, it was part of the evidence collected at the scene.

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