Man kills, dismembers 82-year-old mom ‘because he had spent all of her money,’ cops say

A mail theft investigation turned into a murder investigation for Minnesota authorities, who say a man killed his 82-year-old mom over financial reasons.

Troy Mitteness, 56, was charged Monday, July 10, with second-degree murder. Burnsville police said he killed his mother in June 2022, then scattered her body in plastic tote bins throughout the state.

Authorities were investigating reports of mail theft involving Mitteness and said proceeds from the thefts were being deposited into an account belonging to his mother, Sandra Viola Mitteness, police said.

He initially told police his mom was in South Dakota but later said she died June 14, 2022. But the funeral home, police said, never provided “post-mortem care of funeral related services.”

Family members were told the 82-year-old woman had fallen down stairs in June 2022. But when they asked Troy Mitteness if they could visit her in the hospital, he told them she had COVID-19 and could not have visitors, according to the probable cause statement.

Police learned Troy Mitteness sold his mom’s vehicle to a family member after he said his mother died. When officers found the vehicle, which was sold again to a third party, they observed blood in the trunk, police said.

Detectives interviewed Mitteness after the discovery of blood on the stairs of his home and on a mattress and box spring, the probable cause statement says.

“(Mitteness) admitted to killing the victim because he had spent all of her money, and she was becoming suspicious and wanted to see her finances,” police said. “Before killing her, (Mitteness) advised he researched online how to kill an elderly person without poison and decided to stab her while she was in the bed.”

He used a “large kitchen knife” to kill his mom, and he dismembered her body and put parts in plastic tote bins, police said. Mitteness tossed the tote bins in a ditch and behind a dumpster in various areas of Minnesota, police said.

Mitteness is being held in the Dakota County Jail on a $2 million bond, according to Patch.

In a statement to multiple outlets, including KARE, Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena called the incident “one of the most horrific and disturbing cases” in her 34-year career.

Burnsville is about 15 miles south of Minneapolis.

This story was originally published July 12, 2023 at 5:29 AM with the headline "Man kills, dismembers 82-year-old mom ‘because he had spent all of her money,’ cops say."