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UTAH STATE PRISON — Dea Millerberg will not be released from prison early.
Tha Utah State Board of Pardons and Parole announced Tuesday that the five-member board had voted to keep Millerberg in prison until her full five-year sentence expires on Aug. 20, 2019.
However, in its decision, the board also noted it "may consider an earlier release" if she successfully completed a residential substance abuse treatment program while in prison.
Millerberg, 41, was sentenced to up to five years in prison for her role in the death and desecration of her 16-year-old baby sitter, Alexis Rasmussen. She pleaded guilty in June to obstructing justice, illegally acquiring prescription drugs, and desecration of a dead body.
In September 2011, Alexis disappeared after allegedly going to the Millerbergs' house to baby-sit. Instead, she died of an overdose after Eric Millerberg, 38, injected her with methamphetamine and heroin.
But rather than call 911, Eric Millerberg, reportedly afraid of the possibility of going back to prison, decided to hide Alexis' body and got Dea Millerberg to help him load the teen's body into his truck. The body was then driven to Morgan County, where it was disposed of and wasn't found until 38 days later.
Eric Millerberg was convicted of child abuse homicide, obstruction of justice, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, and abuse or desecration of a body. He was sentenced to six years to life in prison.
Related:
Dea Millerberg to parole board: 'I do deserve to be here'
Dea Millerberg still has a lot of family support and she did cooperate with authorities to convict her husband of child abuse homicide, the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole acknowledged Tuesday.During her initial parole hearing last week, Dea Millerberg said she was prepared to stay in prison as long as the parole board felt it necessary.
"I'm so sorry. It does hurt me to know I caused so much pain and anguish and hurt and anger," she said. "I feel like I do deserve to be here. I struggle daily with what I did. The longer I've been off drugs, the harder it is.
"I hope my being here, somehow, helps in some way. I again just want to say that I'm sorry. I'm using this time while in prison to hopefully come out a better person. I'm not using this time to feel sorry for myself," Dea Millerberg said.
