Thursday, March 27, 2014
WARREN
A 48-year-old man who had lived in the Columbus area for many years before returning to Trumbull County and living with his sister has been sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 20 years in prison for killing his sister.
Bradley E. Milligan pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated murder before Judge Ronald A. Rice in the death of Laura L. Michael, 51 of Howland Springs Road in Howland.
Police found her body wrapped in a blanket in the basement of her home at 8762 Howland Springs Dec. 18 after Michael’s daughter called police to say she had not seen her mother in a couple days.
Milligan showed no emotion after a Howland patrolman had him open a locked basement door, where the patrolman found Michael's body.
Michael’s death was ruled a homicide, the result of blunt-force and knife injuries to her head and neck.
Milligan had lived with his sister on and off for the past couple of years and had been convicted in 2012 of domestic violence against her for injuring her arm and threatening to kill her for refusing to buy him beer.
Michael asked the court in December 2012 to eliminate a no-contact order that had been issued to keep Milligan away from Michael.
A sister of Milligan and Michael said she thinks her sister allowed Milligan back in her house so he “wouldn’t be out in the cold” because she was the type of person who would “help just about anybody.”
The sister said family members were concerned about Milligan because of his drinking problem. He had also been ordered to receive psychiatric counseling at the sentencing hearing in 1997 by a Franklin County Municipal Court judge after being convicted of inducing panic.