Burnsville Man Arrested for Murdering Mother, Disposing of Body Parts
A Burnsville man is charged with murder after admitting to killing his mother, dismembering her and disposing body parts in multiple locations.
Troy Michael Mitteness, 56, of Burnsville, is charged with 2nd-degree murder in the death of his mother, Sandra Viola Mitteness. The charges come after detectives began investigating reports of mail theft in June, which led authorities to a murder confession.
Burnsville police detectives initially began investigating Troy Mitteness for mail theft in late June 2023. Investigators discovered that funds from multiple stolen money orders had been deposited into a joint bank account owned by Sandra and Troy Mitteness. When officers asked to speak with Sandra about the transactions, Troy initially claimed that his mother was in Milbank, South Dakota, but later changed his story, stating that she had died on June 14, 2022.
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While executing a search warrant at Troy's residence related to the mail theft investigation, authorities found an obituary for Sandra Mitteness, indicating her alleged death on June 14, 2022. Investigators contacted the funeral home mentioned in the obituary, and employees confirmed they had no record of providing any services for Sandra. Additionally, family members and friends reported not having seen Sandra for several months.
Burnsville police opened a missing person investigation into Sandra Mitteness. During the course of the investigation, officers interviewed various family members who claimed that Troy had informed them of Sandra's death within the past year. Family members recounted that Troy had informed them Sandra had fallen down the stairs and was hospitalized in June 2022 and they were unable to visit due to COVID restrictions, Troy told them.
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Family members told police that Troy had sold Sandra's vehicle to a relative shortly after her alleged death. The family member who took possession of the car reported that Troy wanted to get rid of the vehicle quickly, even offering it for free. They then eventually sold the car to another person. Detectives located the new owner, who still had possession of the vehicle and allowed officers to search the car. After examining the trunk, preliminary tests revealed traces of blood.
Officers then executed a search warrant at Troy Mitteness' residence on July 6, 2023. That search yielded significant physical evidence, including evidence of blood on the stairs and on a mattress box spring.
Burnsville detectives spoke with Troy at the Dakota County Sheriff's Office. During the interview, Troy confessed to killing his mother because he had spent all of her money and she was becoming suspicious. Troy admitted to researching methods to kill an elderly person without using poison, but admitted to stabbing her in the neck while she slept in her bed on June 2, 2022.
Troy continued to tell detectives that after Sandra’s death he dismembered her body and placed the body parts in large plastic tote bins. Troy then drove with the bins towards Appleton, Minnesota, and disposed of the body parts by throwing them in ditches along the way. Troy told detectives he left two of the tote bins behind a dumpster at an abandoned rest stop on Highway 7, near Willmar, Minnesota.
Officers subsequently located the abandoned rest stop and spoke with the property owners, who confirmed finding two plastic tote bins behind a shipping container on their property. The property owners had moved the totes to a burn pile before police arrived, but officers located the tote bins and collected them as evidence. The recovered tote bins were identical to others in Troy's garage during the July 6, 2023, search.
Troy Mitteness remains in custody and is been charged with one count of 2nd-degree murder as well as mail theft, check forgery and theft, all felonies. He faces up to 40 years in prison on the murder charge.
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UPDATE: Thursday, July 20, 2023
Search & Rescue teams near I-35W & I-494 on Thursday, July 20, 2023. MN CRIME PHOTO
We've received a number of questions regarding the presence of law enforcement and Search and Rescue K9s in the area of I-35W and I-494. Burnsville PD officers were on the scene and this activity is likely related to the investigation of the murder of Sandra Mitteness. We do not yet have official confirmation on what was found in the search.
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