Surviving Shooting Victim ID'd Assailant, Prosecutor Says

The young Santa Cruz woman who survived a shooting during a home invasion robbery in Watsonville that claimed her boyfriend helped police identify the suspect, authorities said.

That man, 34-year-old Michael Neal Miller, made his first court appearance Tuesday in front of Judge Robert O'Farrell. Dressed in yellow jail garb, Miller did not enter a plea.

Miller faces charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery, burglary, being a felon in possession of a firearm and having a gun with a removed serial number. The crimes carry a possible sentence of 90 years to life in prison, according to Assistant District Attorney Johanna Schonfield, who is prosecuting the case.

Dominic Mower, 37, of Watsonville was fatally shot in his Prospect Street home around 3 a.m. on July 25. His 22-year-old girlfriend also was shot several times, but managed to get to a neighbor's house and seek help, police have said.

Although she was initially unable to help investigators because of the severity of her injuries, the woman identified Miller from a photo line-up a day after the double shooting.

"She did identify him," Schonfield said.

Miller, a Watsonville resident, was arrested Thursday evening and officers seized what they believe was the gun used in the attack. Miller, who has an extensive criminal record for drug and theft crimes, has been held in County Jail ever since without bail.

Outside of court Tuesday, Schonfield declined to elaborate on the robbery charge or other details of the case. The motive for the shooting has not been released.

"At this point, given that the investigation is ongoing, I'm not going to comment on that," she said.

The Public Defender's Office was appointed to represent Miller, but there may be a conflict because the surviving victim has been represented by those attorneys in the past. The Public Defender's Office will review the case and Miller will be back in court Aug. 7 to confirm his legal representation and enter a plea.

Mower's family and two Watsonville police detectives sat through the brief morning proceedings.

For complete coverage of the Prospect Street double shooting, click HERE.