Madison Rueckert, a 23-year-old woman from Missouri, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for fatally shooting her boyfriend, Jonathan Miller, after discovering text messages from other women on his phone. Rueckert was sentenced on April 25, 2025, after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action.
The Crime and Sentence
Rueckert was initially charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action for the death of Jonathan Miller, 24, in Marshfield, Missouri. However, in 2024, she reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action, resulting in a lesser sentence.
According to online court records, Rueckert was sentenced to 25 years for the murder charge and 10 years for the armed criminal action charge. The sentences will be served consecutively, bringing her total sentence to 35 years.
The Incident and Rueckert’s Actions
The tragic event took place on December 31, 2022, when Rueckert, then 21, became upset after discovering text messages to other women on Miller’s phone. Police reports say Rueckert waited for Miller to fall asleep that night before shooting him in the head.
After the shooting, Rueckert drove to Dallas County and spent the night in the woods. The next day, she went to a stranger’s house, asking to speak to the police. She eventually turned herself in to authorities, according to court records.
The Victim’s Family’s Reaction
Amy Kopp, Miller’s mother, expressed her disbelief when she learned that the shooting was linked to messages from other women. She told KY3 that she didn’t think the texts were sexual in nature and was shocked by the incident.
“He hadn’t even cheated on her,” Kopp said. She added, “We don’t know what’s in those texts. So, I mean, I seriously doubt he would have texted anybody sexual stuff and left it on his phone. So I don’t think it was sexual. I think it was just he was talking to other females.”
Kopp also shared that Rueckert was a good person who Miller was very happy with, and that Miller’s baby was his number one priority. “Even though he and Madison had only been together since May, (Madison’s) baby was his number one priority, and spending time with that child,” Kopp said.