James Elmore Jr has received a 20-year prison sentence after being found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of teenager Laura Miller. Her body was recovered in 1986 in the area known as the "Texas Killing Fields".
A Galveston county jury convicted Elmore, 61, on Wednesday, with sentencing taking place on Thursday. Jurors concluded that Elmore helped prepare a cocaine dose that killed Laura, who went missing in 1984.
Elmore reportedly told Laura's father, Tim Miller, in 2022 that he was present when Laura died. This led to authorities charging Elmore with manslaughter in late March.
Charges of evidence tampering and possession of child abuse imagery remain pending against Elmore, with a tentative trial scheduled for October.