Burnsville Man Gets Life in Prison for Dismembering Mom

Aug 19

A Burnsville man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after being convicted of killing and dismembering his mother in 2022.

On Tuesday, Aug. 19, Dakota County Judge Richelle Wahi handed down the mandatory sentence to 58-year-old Troy Michael Mitteness following his conviction last week for premeditated first-degree murder and intentional second-degree murder in the death of his mother, 82-year-old Sandra Viola Mitteness.

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The case began in June 2023 when Burnsville police were investigating Troy Mitteness for mail theft. Investigators discovered that some of the stolen money had been deposited into Sandra Mitteness’ account. When police asked about her whereabouts, he first claimed she was in South Dakota, then later told officers she had died on June 14, 2022. Officers located an obituary at his home, but the funeral home named in it denied handling her remains. Relatives also told investigators they hadn’t seen her in months.

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Family members said Mitteness had told them Sandra had fallen down the stairs and was hospitalized, then later claimed she had COVID and could not have visitors. Police eventually tracked down her vehicle, which he had quickly sold. Testing on the trunk showed indications of blood.

A search of the Riverwood Drive home in July 2023 revealed more blood evidence, including stains on the stairs and a mattress. When questioned, Mitteness admitted to killing his mother on June 2, 2022, after she began questioning her finances. He told detectives he had spent her money and researched methods of killing an elderly person without poison.

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Mitteness said he stabbed his mother in the neck with a kitchen knife while she slept, left her body for several days, then dismembered her and placed the remains in plastic totes. He admitted driving toward Appleton and discarding body parts along the way, leaving two totes behind a dumpster at an abandoned rest stop on Highway 7. Those totes were later recovered from a burn pile by investigators.

Mitteness was first charged in July 2023 with second-degree intentional murder while using a dangerous weapon. A Dakota County grand jury later indicted him in Dec. 2024 on both first- and second-degree murder charges, leading to his trial and conviction earlier this month.

Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena thanked jurors and others involved in the case, noting the difficult evidence they had to consider.

Mitteness will serve life in prison without parole and remains in the Dakota County Jail until he is transferred to the Department of Corrections.

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