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Nassau Deputies Arrest Widow At Husband's Funeral

POSTED: Friday, July 22, 2005

Minutes after her husband was laid to rest, Nassau County officers moved in to arrest the young widow on suspicion that she was involved in his death.

Rachel Miner, 19, is accused of giving her husband her prescription Xanax, an anti-depression drug.

Army Spec. Richard Minor Jr. died suddenly, and investigators suspect a drug overdose. Investigators said his wife admitted to giving him her medication.

Deputies found the 22-year-old man unresponsive at his wife's house in Hilliard on July 13.

"We're waiting for the toxicology report to return from the medical examiner's office to give us the exact drugs that may have been in his system," Nassau County Sheriff Tommy Seagraves told Channel 4's Victoria Warren.

Richard Miner Jr.
Richard Miner Jr.
An autopsy found that Miner died of toxicity from multiple drugs, but specific substances were not identified.

Seagraves said his deputies made the arrest at the cemetery Monday because they were afraid she might leave town.

"There was no cause for any alarm at the funeral," Seagraves said. "As a matter of fact, I don't think anybody knew that we arrested her after the services were completed."

Rachel Miner's aunt disputed the sheriff's account that the arrest.

"Everyone noticed," Kathy Alston wrote in an e-mail to News4Jax.com. "What did they expect? They took her out of the graveyard in front of Ricky's entire family."

Alston also disputes that Miner was going to leave town.

"Her plan was to stay with members of her family and try to seek help and counseling for her current situation," Alston wrote. "She had just lost her husband."

Richard Miner had served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He and his wife were separated, but Alston said that was mostly due to his military service and his readjustment to civilian life.

Rachel Miner is charged with delivery of a controlled substance and is being held on $100,000 bond.

The sheriff said there may be other arrests in this case.

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