Man convicted of robbing, raping and murdering lawyer in her office gets life term
Convicted in August of posing as a client in order to rob, rape and murder a Colorado attorney in her law office, Warren Dale Watson has been sentenced to a life prison term without parole.
Evidence presented at trial showed Watson had sought out a female family law attorney in order to fulfill a sexual fantasy. He intentionally arranged to meet victim Claudia Miller at work late in the business day on March 5, 2013 in the hope that she would be alone in her Lakewood law office, reports the Denver Post.
Beaten and strangled to death, Miller’s body was found in a storage room of the law office.
Surveillance camera footage showing Watson using Miller’s credit cards after her death helped identify him as a suspect.
He had used a false name when arranging to meet with Miller and pretended to be a doctor in an effort to make her comfortable with the idea of meeting with him alone, according to a news release from the Jefferson County district attorney’s office.
Watson, who had a prior criminal record, is now 54 years old.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Ex-con is found guilty of murder of Colorado lawyer; he sought an attorney victim, DA says”
KDVR: “Jury convicts suspect for rape, murder of prominent Lakewood lawyer”
