The Life and Dreams of Ernest Marquez Miller
Marquez Miller was born on May 5th, 1967. From a young age, he showed a deep passion for singing and performing, often singing at church. His love for dance stayed with him throughout his life, and he dreamed of becoming a professional dancer.
Education and Move to Chicago
After graduating from Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Ernest moved to Chicago. He worked as a busboy in a downtown hotel while preparing to attend classes at Roosevelt University to study Performing Arts. However, he did not get to find out that he had been accepted.
Ernest Miller Bright Future Cut Short
Miller’s teacher at Milwaukee High School of the Arts praised him in an interview, describing him as a gifted dancer, an amazing vocalist, and a promising actor. Miller was considered a triple threat with a bright future ahead.
Tragic Encounter with Jeffrey Dahmer
On September 2nd, 1990, during Labor Day weekend, Ernest returned to Milwaukee to visit his aunt. Whereas Miller met Jeffrey Dahmer in front of a bookshop on North 27th Street. Later Dahmer invited Ernest to his apartment under the pretense of offering fifty dollars for the company.
Dahmer attempted to initiate sexual activity, but Ernest demanded more money. Dahmer then gave Ernest a drink laced with sleeping pills. While no more pills were left, Dahmer resorted to slitting Ernest’s throat with a knife he used for dismembering bodies. For that reason, Ernest bled to death within minutes. Jeffrey kept parts of Ernest’s body, including his biceps in the freezer, painted his skull, and bleached his skeleton.
Family’s Heartbreak and Trial
Stanley Miller, Ernest’s uncle, represented the family at Jeffrey Dahmer’s trial in 1992. He expressed the family’s profound sorrow, stating:
“It’s hard for us, because when we last saw Earnest, Ernest was so full of life, and when we went to the coroner’s office there was nothing but a skeleton.’’
-Stanley Miller
Stanley Miller Victim Impact Statements
“There is no place in a civilized society for anyone who shows no regard for life. While I am not for the death penalty, you, Jeffrey Dahmer, are the perfect candidate for such a sentence. Due to your actions, my family has suffered a great deal of pain and emotional distress.”
“Jeffrey Dahmer, through your selfish actions, you have caused my family to suffer the loss of society and the companionship of Ernest. This was done without any cause or provocation from Ernest’s side.”
Stanley Miller described the brutality of Dahmer’s actions:
“Even though you had the knives, the saws, the vat, the acid, the drills, and possibly a gun, when he was in a semi-conscious state of mind, you didn’t give him the chance to fight for his life. You took his life like a thief in the night by cutting his throat rather than facing him and letting him fight for the things he held most dear. You took the coward’s way out. Did you ever stop to think that it was someone’s son? Did you ever stop to think that it was someone’s brother, nephew, cousin, grandson, or just a friend who’s missing him dearly?”
“He had a family who loved him. He had a niece now who’s four months old, whom he’d never get to hold or play with or just watch grow up. He has to look from heaven now.”
Remembering Ernest Marquez Miller
His former teacher from Milwaukee High School of the Arts also taught two other victims of Dahmer, Curtis Straughter and Anthony Sears. In an interview, he spoke of the brilliant students who helped shape the school’s legacy. Ernest’s life was tragically cut short at the age of 23, making him Jeffrey Dahmer’s seventh victim.
