Victim: Jessie Miles, 69
Murderer: Dakotah Eliason, 14
Crime date: March 7, 2010
On March 7, 2010, Dakotah Wolfgang Eliason, (dob
9/23/1995), age 14, of Niles, was a 9th grader at Niles Senior
High School. In the early morning hours, after considering
suicide and contemplating killing, he killed his grandfather, Jesse
Miles, by shooting him in the head while he was sleeping on a
couch in the living room.
Eliason was convicted of 1st degree premeditated murder
and sentenced to life without parole.
The victim, Jessie Miles, age 69, was Eliason’s step grandfather. He lived on Niles-Buchanan Road with his wife, Jean Miles. Jessie was retired and was an avid hunter. Jessie and Jean often had Eliason stay at their house on the week-ends. There was no suggestion there was ill-will between Eliason and his grandfather.
At a resentencing hearing in 2015, Eliason was sentenced pursuant to Miller to a term of 35 to 60 years.
