CORDES LAKES, Arizona — On May 4, 2025, the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office announced that 60-year-old Bridget Nelson, a Cordes Lakes resident, pleaded guilty to the savage murder of her 93-year-old roommate, Carl Miller, on February 17, 2024. Nelson, who stabbed Miller 30 times, admitted to premeditated first-degree murder, aggravated domestic violence, theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, ensuring she will likely spend the rest of her life behind bars.
The investigation began with a welfare check by the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office after a concerned acquaintance reported not hearing from Miller. Nelson initially claimed Miller had driven out of town, but deputies discovered his inoperable vehicle still on the property off Rodeo Drive. After receiving no response from Nelson during a follow-up visit, deputies spotted Miller’s motionless body through a window, revealing a grim scene of violence—he had been dead for at least a day with clear signs of foul play. Nelson’s guilty plea on April 30, 2025, followed a thorough investigation, with sentencing scheduled for June 30, where she faces life in prison plus an additional 55 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections.
Sheriff David Rhodes called the case a “horrible tragedy,” noting its deep impact on the close-knit communities of Cordes Lakes, Mayer, and Dewey. While justice moves forward, the case raises questions about how such violence brewed undetected in a shared home, especially given Nelson’s drug paraphernalia charge, which hints at underlying issues that may have been overlooked by local support systems. If you have additional insights into this case, contact the YCSO at 928-771-3260.
The Cordes Lakes community seeks healing as they await Nelson’s sentencing, hoping for closure in this heartbreaking chapter.
Published by State Gleam
Keywords: Bridget Nelson, Carl Miller Murder, Cordes Lakes, Yavapai County, Life Sentence, May 2025
