Killer in 1985 murder of 11-year-old girl denied parole

By MIKE WILLIAMS

Patriot Publishing

The killer in the 1985 murder of an 11-year-old in the town of Pulaski has been denied parole.

Former Commonwealth’s Attorney Everett Shockley reported late last week he had been informed that earlier this month the Virginia Parole Board had denied a request for parole from Michael Lee Hager.

Now 61 years old, Hager is serving three life terms for the murder of 11-year-old Chrystal Dawn Miller.

The murder, which shocked and horrified the community, occurred in the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 25, 1985.

Miller was abducted and then raped and assaulted under the south end of the old railroad bridge over Peak Creek, between East Main Street and First Street, N.E.

A passerby alerted police who, when they arrived on the scene, found Miller nude, tied with her own clothing, her hands tied behind her back and her feet tied. She was also tied to the bridge in a sitting position.

Police said Miller was unconscious because an article of clothing had been tied around her neck.

She was given CPR and other first aid and was taken to Pulaski Community Hospital and then flown to Roanoke Memorial Hospital where she died the next day.

According to news reports on the murder in The Southwest Times, Miller had been sent to the store by her mother. When she had not returned in a reasonable time, her mother contacted police.

Miller was a fifth grade student at Critzer Elementary School.

The report noted Hager was married at the time and the father of a 10-month-old child.

On the evening of the murder, police spotted Hager at Pulaski Community Hospital. He had apparently gone there to check on the girl’s condition. According to the Times report, the color and description of his clothing and other observations led to his questioning by police and subsequent arrest.

The next day, after her death, a capital murder charge was added to the list of charges facing Hager.

In early April 1986, Miller was sentenced in a plea agreement to three life terms.

According to the Times report, under the plea agreement worked out between Shockley and Hager’s defense attorneys – David Warburton and Thomas Phillips – Hager plead guilty to avoid the death penalty on the capital murder charge.

Shockley said following the sentencing that he opted for the plea agreement because of the peril of litigation. The only substantial evidence he had was a confession by Hager.

“Shockley knows that there are a lot of legalities concerning a confession,” the news report stated, and he felt if there was any possibility the confession would not be allowed then Hager might have gone free.

“Shockley also noted that proving capital murder might have been difficult. First it must be proven Hager intended to kill Miller.  Hager denied that intention,” the newspaper report stated.

Shockley had other concerns about being successful in seeking the death penalty, including the fear that not all 12 members of the jury would agree on the sentence.  If just one juror opposed death, then a life sentence is imposed.

Shockley said afterward, according to the news report, that while he would have liked to have seen a death sentence imposed he felt it was more important to keep him (Hager) off the street.

“The Miller family was in agreement,” Shockley said.

About the denial of parole for Hager, Shockley said, “I am very happy that he will remain behind bars for at least three more years at which time he will come up for review again.”