Dakota County (trfnews.i234.me) – A Burnsville man will spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of killing and dismembering his mother.
On Tuesday, August 19, Dakota County Judge Richelle Wahi sentenced 58-year-old Troy Michael Mitteness to life in prison without parole. The mandatory sentence followed his conviction last week for premeditated first-degree murder and intentional second-degree murder in the death of his 82-year-old mother, Sandra Viola Mitteness.
The case began in June 2023 during a Burnsville police investigation into mail theft. Investigators found stolen money deposited into Sandra Mitteness’ bank account. When asked about her, Troy Mitteness gave conflicting stories, first claiming she was in South Dakota, then later saying she had died in June 2022.
Family members reported they had not seen Sandra in months. They recalled Troy telling them different stories, including that she had fallen, was hospitalized, and later that she had COVID-19. Police also discovered he had sold her vehicle. Testing on the car’s trunk showed signs of blood.
In July 2023, police searched the family’s Riverwood Drive home, finding blood evidence on the stairs and a mattress. During questioning, Mitteness admitted to killing his mother on June 2, 2022, after she confronted him about her finances. He confessed to stabbing her in the neck while she slept, leaving her body in the home for days, then dismembering her.
He told investigators he disposed of her remains in plastic totes along Highway 7 near Appleton, Minnesota. Some of those remains were later recovered by investigators at a burn pile.
Mitteness was initially charged with second-degree murder in July 2023. In December 2024, a Dakota County grand jury indicted him on both first- and second-degree murder. His trial earlier this month led to his conviction.
Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena thanked the jury for their work in a case involving difficult evidence.
Mitteness will remain in the Dakota County Jail until transferred to the Minnesota Department of Corrections to serve his life sentence.
For more information on Minnesota sentencing laws, visit the Minnesota Legislature.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
What a coward. A sinner through and through.