Burnsville man indicted on 1st-degree murder charge in killing, dismemberment of his 82-year-old mother
Troy Michael Mitteness (Dakota County Jail)
A grand jury on Thursday indicted a Burnsville man on first- and second-degree murder charges in connection with the murder of his mother, 82-year-old Sandra Viola Mitteness.
Troy Michael Mitteness, 57, was previously charged with one count of second-degree murder. If convicted of the more serious charge, he’ll get life in prison without the possibility of parole.
As previously reported, Troy told investigators that he fatally stabbed his mother at his Burnsville home in June of 2022 because he had spent all her money and she was getting suspicious.
He then dismembered her body, put the body parts in totes and then discarded them from his moving vehicle as he drove from Burnsville to Appleton.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office says Troy’s next court date has not yet been scheduled.
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- The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.
- Minnesota Day One at 866-223-1111.
- The Women’s Advocates crisis line at 651-227-8284.
More than 12 million people just in the U.S. are affected by domestic violence every year, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The organizations listed above can help connect victims to resources like safe shelter, advocacy, legal help and support groups.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline also offers tips for identifying abuse and supporting victims of abuse. CLICK HERE to see those.
Other organizations that can help include:
- Violence Free Minnesota at 651-646-6177 or 800-289-6177.
- STANDPOINT(formerly the Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project) at 612-343-9842.
- Mending the Sacred Hoop at 888-305-1650.
- Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault at 612-209-9993.
Minnesota also has a list of many other resources for victims of crimes that can be found HERE.