A popular crime documentary series delves deeper into the harrowing true story of a mother of two who was raped and strangled to death in her own home by a man her son had hailed as a hero.
Linda Slaten, 31, was found dead in her Lakeland, Florida home in 1981 with a wire coat hanger around her neck.
Her two sons, who were sleeping in the house at the time of the murder, had to wait almost four decades for answers when the case was dropped.
But they were stunned to discover that it was their trusted football coach, Joseph Clinton Mills – a photo of which they hung on their walls for years – who was responsible for their mother’s brutal death.
Here, FEMAIL has exposed the disturbing reality surrounding the case after an episode of 48 Hours investigated “The Betrayal of Linda Slaten”.
Mother-of-two Linda Slaten, 31, was found dead in her Lakeland, Florida apartment in 1981 with a wire coat hanger around her neck
Her sons were stunned to discover it was their trusted football coach, Joseph Clinton Mills (above left) – a photo of which they hung on their walls for years – who was responsible for their mother’s brutal death
After analyzing the unidentified suspect’s DNA, analysts at Parabon NanoLabs told authorities the most likely suspect was actually Coach Joe – then 58 years old (pictured).
The horrifying story emerged on Sept. 4, 1981, when Linda’s younger sister, Judy Butler, went to the family home to see if the mother-of-two wanted to have coffee together, according to the 48-hour episode.
There was no reply, but as Judy made her way back to her own house, which was only three doors down, she noticed that the screen on Linda’s bedroom window was missing.
Peering inside, she was devastated to see her sister’s lifeless body lying on the bed. She said: “At first I thought maybe she was sleeping and then I just started screaming.”
When police officers arrived, they found Linda with her dress pulled down from the top and what appeared to be a wire hanger around her neck.
Her underwear and shoes were left on the carpet, and investigators allegedly claimed she was bleeding from her vagina.
Investigators, who described the scene as “brutal, evil and ugly,” admitted there were no signs of a struggle in the room, but her window was unlocked and the screens removed.
Their children – Jeffrey, then 15, and Timothy, then 12 – who were sleeping during the attack were escorted out of the home.
But Timothy caught a glimpse of the harrowing sight.
Investigators, who described the scene as “brutal, evil and ugly,” admitted there were no signs of a struggle in the room (pictured, the bedroom door).
Linda’s body was transported to Lakeland General Hospital, where medical staff performed an autopsy and performed a sexual assault set
Authorities also managed to steal a handprint from Linda’s bedroom window, through which the killer entered
Fighting back tears, he recalled, “I saw the whole crime scene.” I saw my mother’s bloodied body with a hanger around her neck. And I still see it.’
Jeffrey also said: “Me [would have] I died that night trying to save my mother but I didn’t hear anything and it’s so hard to live with.’
The family of three had moved into the Lakeland home just two weeks before Linda’s death.
Her body was transported to Lakeland General Hospital, where medical staff performed an autopsy and performed a sexual assault set.
Authorities also managed to steal a handprint from Linda’s bedroom window, through which the killer entered.
Linda’s ex-husband Frank Slaten became an interesting person to her because of his history of abuse – as did her then-boyfriend and even 15-year-old Jeffrey.
But the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was unable to find a culprit and, with no new leads, the case was eventually dropped.
Jeffrey said, “It’s been hard for me my whole life not knowing who it is.” I was always scared to death, was his friend, and always looked over our shoulders.’
The boys, who lived with their grandparents, were both trying to move forward in life and Timothy, with the encouragement of coach Joseph Clinton Mills, continued to show great success as a football player.
The family of three had moved into the Lakeland home just two weeks before Linda’s death
In the summer of 2019, authorities sifted through Mills’ trash (pictured) and were able to find DNA matching samples in Linda’s sexual assault kit
The then 20-year-old, nicknamed “Joe” by most, was said to have been incredibly supportive and continued to offer Timothy for training – a custom that had started long before Linda’s death.
Timothy even proudly hung a photo of his teammates and coach – taken a month after the murder – on his bedroom wall.
But it was nearly four decades before the investigation was torn wide open in November 2018, when investigators considered using genetic genealogy.
Genetic genealogy compares unknown DNA to public genealogy databases populated with the DNA of relatives they voluntarily upload.
Mills pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and sexual assault and was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole
After analyzing the unidentified suspect’s DNA, analysts at Parabon NanoLabs told authorities the most likely suspect was actually Coach Joe — then 58 years old.
“Joseph deserves urgent consideration because genetic links have been found on both sides of his family tree and he lived in close proximity to the crime scene in 1981,” the report reads.
In the summer of 2019, authorities searched Mills’ trash and were able to find DNA that matched samples in Linda’s sexual assault kit.
They were also able to match Mill’s fingerprints, which had been on file since 1984, when he was convicted of grand larceny for forgery, and compare them to those on Linda’s windowsill.
When first questioned by phone in 1981, Mills told authorities he saw the victim briefly as he was driving Timothy home from football practice that night.
Mills, who was the coach of the Lakeland Volunteers football program, said Linda went to his car to thank him for bringing her son home.
He told police he left the flat that night and had not returned – and authorities decided not to pursue him further.
But after his December 2019 arrest and in the face of new evidence, Mills changed his story during the interview.
After his December 2019 arrest and in light of the new evidence, Mills changed his story during the interview
Mills told police that when he dropped Timothy off that evening, according to court documents, Linda had “extended an open invitation to come to her apartment for a ‘good time’.”
He reportedly told authorities he returned to Linda’s house in the early hours of September 4 and entered through the unlocked bedroom window – with Mills claiming that “Linda asked him to engage in ‘wild’ sex.” .
“Mills explained when she entered Linda Slaten’s bedroom that Linda already had a wire around her neck as she lay on the bed.
“Mills stated that while he was having intercourse with Linda Slaten, he tightened the wire around her neck until she passed out,” ABC News reported.
Mills reportedly told police he went through the window before Linda’s body was discovered.
Authorities disputed Mill’s claim that the encounter was consensual, citing there was evidence that a foreign object was used in the sexual assault and that Linda had cuts from attempting to remove the wire from her remove neck.
Mills eventually pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and sexual assault and was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.
Reflecting on the outcome, Jeffrey said, ‘I carried the killer’s picture around my house all the time and never had a clue.’ He’s a cold-hearted monster, that’s for sure.’