Woodland, WA. — Deputies with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 67-year-old Woodland man following the discovery of a deceased tenant concealed on his property.
At approximately 6:53 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2025, Cowlitz 911 received a report of suspicious circumstances in the 3600 block of Old Lewis River Road. The reporting party told dispatchers they had just spoken with a family member, later identified as Ricky Dean Miller, who allegedly stated he had killed someone and hidden the body on his property.
Deputies responded to the address and made contact with Miller. Detectives subsequently obtained a search warrant for the property, where they located the body of 71-year-old Dennis Eugene Schmitt. Investigators determined Schmitt’s remains had been concealed inside a barrel on the property.
Authorities said Miller was Schmitt’s landlord, and the two men lived in separate residences on the same property.
An autopsy conducted on Dec. 19, 2025, revealed Schmitt suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to the head and showed evidence of strangulation, according to forensic examiners.
Miller was booked into the Cowlitz County Jail on charges of second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of human remains.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact Detective James Hanberry at 360-577-3092.
About the Author
