GUILTY FL - Linda Patterson Slaten, 31, murdered, Lakeland, 4 Sept 1981 *Arrest*

[faithx]

Polk County man sentenced to life in 1981 killing | wtsp.com

Joseph Mills pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Linda Patterson Slaten today. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Polk County man sentenced to life in 1981 killing | wtsp.com

Joseph Mills pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Linda Patterson Slaten today. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Thank goodness!! Piece of dirt doesn’t even deserve to live.

snip:
BARTOW, Fla. — For 41 years, neither Jeff nor Timothy Slaten of Lakeland believed anyone would ever be held accountable for their mother's death.

That changed Wednesday when a Polk County judge sentenced Joseph Mills to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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Mills, who changed his plea to guilty, faced charges of first-degree murder, sexual battery, and burglary with assault and battery.

Snip
The judge sentenced Mills to four life-in-prison sentences without the possibility of parole. The sentences are to be served consecutively to each other.

 

[PaulaDC]

Polk County man sentenced to life in 1981 killing | wtsp.com

Joseph Mills pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Linda Patterson Slaten today. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

May he rot I'm prison. May her son's start to heal.

 

[PayrollNerd]

These poor sons. Your heart just breaks for them.

Cold case victim's sons confront man sentenced in 1981 Lakeland murder

snip
He changed his plea to guilty during Wednesday’s hearing. His attorney said he changed his plea because it was “in his best interest to do so.”

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Mills and the judge also heard from two of Slaten’s grandchildren, who never had the opportunity to meet her. After hearing from the still-devastated family members, Mills approached the podium to defend himself.

He said he owned a “successful business” and gave people chances.

Judge Kevin Abdoney sentenced Mills to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Murdered Florida woman's son hung this photo on his bedroom wall, never knowing he was standing in front of his mother's killer

After Linda Slaten was murdered in her home in 1981, her sons Jeff and Tim spent nearly four decades living in fear of the man they called "the Monster." The killer was someone they knew and trusted.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

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[Seattle1]

Mom-of-two raped and strangled by her son's football coach

Linda Slaten, 31, was found dead at her apartment in Lakeland, Florida, with a wire coat hanger twisted round her neck in 1981. Here, FEMAIL has laid bare the disturbing realities.

www.dailymail.co.uk

8/26/23


When Mills was first interviewed in 1981, which was conducted over the phone, he told authorities that he saw the victim briefly when he drove Timothy home from football practice that evening.

Mills, who was a coach for the Lakeland Volunteers football program, said Linda had approached his car to thank him for bringing her son home.

He told police he left and had not returned to the apartment that night - and authorities decided not to pursue him further.

But, following his arrest in December 2019, and in light of the new evidence, Mills changed his story during interview.