A 21-year-old Missouri woman has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of her 24-year-old boyfriend on New Year’s Eve 2022. Madison Nicole Rueckert was found guilty of shooting Jonathan Miller in the head after discovering text messages between him and other women. The sentencing was handed down by Webster County Circuit Judge Chuck C. Replogle, according to court documents released on Monday.
Rueckert was initially charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting. However, a plea deal was reached with the prosecution last month, in which Rueckert agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action. Judge Replogle sentenced her to 25 years for the murder and an additional 10 years for the armed criminal action charge, to be served consecutively.
The Marshfield Mail, citing a probable cause affidavit, reported that the incident occurred at a local residence on the night of December 31, 2022. Rueckert was allegedly driven to commit the crime after finding text messages between Miller and other women on his phone. Authorities claim that Rueckert waited until Miller was asleep before shooting him.
After the shooting, Rueckert reportedly fled to Dallas County, Missouri, where she spent the night in a wooded area. The following day, she turned herself in at the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives from Marshfield traveled to Dallas County to interview Rueckert, who provided details about her motive and the murder. A handgun found in her vehicle was identified as the weapon used in the shooting, according to Springfield, Missouri, news radio station KWTO.
In an interview with Kansas City, Missouri, CBS affiliate KCTV, Miller’s mother, Ann Kopp, recounted the day she learned of her son’s death. She and her husband had been trying to contact Miller before deciding to visit his home. Upon arrival, they found the police already on the scene. Kopp expressed disbelief at the motive behind her son’s murder, stating that he had not cheated on Rueckert.