in today's Sunday conversation a man
whose life mission took a turn after
tragically losing his daughter to a
violent crime Tim Miller is the father
of Laura Miller who was abducted and
killed when she was just 16 years old
he's also the founder of Texas
Equusearch which helps families and
police find answers whenever someone
disappears now this past week two women
whose bodies were found in the same area
as Laura's were finally identified it's
an area that's been dubbed The Killing
Fields but Miller hopes it will soon be
known as the healing fields on this
Easter Sunday we have Keith Garvin's
conversation with Miller about his
motivation and how he's gotten to a
point where he says he is ready to
forgive the man he believes took his
daughter's life
[Music]
hard to believe with this marks this
year will mark 35 years since your
daughter Laura disappeared and that that
means you now have spent more than half
of your own life trying to find justice
for her and for so many other families I
can only imagine you know how how tough
that road may have been at times but
what what keeps you going you know I
remember when she went in body was found
and they got positive identification
that I remember taking a little sigh of
relief at least I know at least I know
and I had that opportunity to go through
that long painful grieving process and
and get into the healing process I'm one
of the fortunate ones that that have
lost a child and I would say there's one
thing worse than having a murder child
and that's knowing her out there
somewhere deceased and never been able
to say goodbye so these families can
never put their their lives back
together you know I was talking to
somebody the other night I says I wonder
where my life would have benefits when
to happened mm-hm
he and they says God had different plans
for your life I never wanted to start
Equusearch I wasn't one of my goals but
I put that cross up in week before
Christmas it where Laura's body was
found and and I remember going out there
and I'd walk up to that cross and I'd
stand over and I'd literally break down
crying I'd say Laura please don't hate
your daddy but I can't come out here
anymore I have to say goodbye I have to
put my life back together him believe
this or not but I'd be walking away and
I hear this little voice say dad don't
quit please don't quit and it's like
what are you trying to say what are you
trying to say I just thought about this
you've never thought about it before oh
I'm a little choked up now I think that
Equusearch probably saved my life
forever how so I'm a DA I went through
many suicide thoughts I went through a
lot of pain and you know what just
thinking about it right now if one of
for me start Nyquist search and people
support me and helping these other
families and stuff I could have never
done this on my own so surrounded with
people that care undoubtedly probably
saved Tim Miller's life you know there
was a Jane Doe found February 2nd 1986
that we didn't know who what who she was
the same day that was found 50 feet
apart and just got her identified uh
Janet Dylan 1991 just got her identified
what when you found out that they had
been identified and thanks to some
advanced technology we'll the first
thoughts that went through your mind how
god bless these children glide god bless
these families
god bless Lake City Police Department
you know one thing that you you have
talked about is that initially over the
years very understandable thinking about
the person who took Laura there was
revenge was on your mind but we read in
a recent article that that's not
necessarily necessarily your mindset
anymore explain how you know it's it's
not I was crazy for a while
revenge it was it was crazy I I'm not
ashamed to say decide to go into a
hospital for a while and and get some
psychiatric help and I'm still going to
my counselor to my therapist mm his face
that I mean these holidays right here at
Eastern is his sad day I've I remember
many Easter's of
Laure going out looking for the Easter
eggs and going to church that morning
and dressed up and coming home and
having dinner and you know I think about
her every day I miss her I look back her
death wasn't in vain
I bought this suspect a Bible
and in the front of the Bible I actually
wrote I forgive you from above my heart
and I hope the day comes that you can
find some peace in your life and and I
went through that Bible and literally
highlighted probably more than a hundred
verses on forgiveness he and I I had to
do that for me if I ever have the
opportunity to do an impact statement
and I will hand in no Popoff and say
you're forgiven
Wow very powerful Tim Miller we've all
worked with him many times and he's
always there to answer the calls
whenever there's questions in regards to
somebody missing so kudos to him and you
know Miller says there are plans to turn
the area where his daughter and the
other women were found into Memorial
Park he wants it to become a place where
missing persons from all over can be
honored and remembered and we've posted
Keith's entire interview with Tim Miller
as well additional information on Texas
Equusearch and how you can support the
group's important work on the Sunday
conversations page of our website you
will find it on click2houston.com slash
Sunday