Judge Finds Probable Cause for 2nd-Degree Murder Case

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 8, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | stabbing | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge ruled that a murder case has enough evidence to go to trial.

Ronald Miller, 41, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 28-year-old Tiffany Hardy on Feb. 8 inside her apartment on the 1600 block of E Street, NE. Miller was arrested that same day. According to him, the two were in a romantic relationship.

During the April 8 hearing, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective on the case testified that a knife was in plain view in the apartment’s hallway when officers arrived on scene. 

Body-Worn Camera (BWC) footage captures Miller saying, “I killed her” and “die, Tiffany, die” as the police officers rendered aid.

Hardy sustained more than 40 stab wounds, according to court documents. 

Miller was also found inside the apartment with cuts on his hands. Defense attorney Jason Tulley said his client got those injuries because Hardy tried to stab him.

“I am a legend, I did it,” Miller said, looking in the direction of the victim’s family and friends who were on the other side of the street outside the apartment. 

The video also shows him admitting to being a drug dealer.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Jason Tulley showed footage of Miller saying that Hardy “set him up.”

Miller said Hardy asked him for money, but he refused to give her any because she would not give him a reason for needing it. He also said he noticed black cars following him for several days, which led him to believe she set him up. 

On Feb. 7, a day before Hardy’s death, she was arrested for simple assault after she allegedly attacked Miller with a bottle, but the arrest was not papered and didn’t result in criminal prosecution.

Tulley argued that Hardy had a history of violence and listed prior incidents in which she allegedly attacked other people. 

In the footage, Miller told the officers who arrived on scene that he and Hardy got into a verbal and physical altercation inside of her apartment.

Miller said he pinned her down, but after he let her go, she lunged towards the knife and tried to stab him. He said he stabbed Hardy in self-defense. 

Tulley said Miller was entitled to use “brutal force” to defend himself. He said his client felt that he was in danger because the victim tried to stab him and also believed Hardy was setting him up and wanted him dead.   

The prosecution argued that Miller cannot claim self-defense because he was the aggressor.

The prosecutor said that, in a jail call, Miller allegedly said the victim tried to leave the apartment after the altercation, but he did not let her. 

The prosecution also argued that Miller used excessive force by stabbing Hardy more than 40 times, which goes beyond trying to protect himself. She argued that saying “I am a legend” suggests that Miller was proud of his action.

Judge Neal Kravitz found probable cause and agreed that if Miller was able to overpower Hardy, it was not necessary to stab her more than 40 times. Judge Kravitz also said that there is no evidence to suggest that Hardy stabbed Miller, and that it is possible his hand wounds were self-inflicted. 

Tulley asked Judge Kravitz to release Miller, but he denied that request because Miller has past convictions that involve violence and tampering with GPS monitoring. The judge said placement which under high-intensity supervision is not a viable option. 

A felony status conference is scheduled for June 22. 

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