A man in Oklahoma, John L. Miles III, has been sentenced to seven consecutive life terms, including one without parole, plus an additional 55 years, for years of abuse, torture, and neglect that left one of his stepchildren dead and the other severely traumatized and scarred.
Tulsa County District Judge Clifford P. Smith handed down the sentence after Miles was convicted in October 2024 of first-degree murder by child abuse, child abuse by torture, child sexual abuse, child neglect, and desecration of a corpse... Continue reading here ▶
His crimes targeted 11-year-old Orlando Hugger Jr., who was killed, and his older sister, who survived but endured years of unimaginable abuse.
Orlando’s mother, Camille Rechae Lewis, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, child abuse, and neglect. She testified against Miles as part of a plea deal and was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 35 years.
The abuse was discovered when the children’s grandmother contacted police in January 2023, reporting that Orlando had been missing for years and that his sister had been severely abused. The grandmother had taken in the 13-year-old girl, who was malnourished and had visible scars from abuse.
The girl told investigators that her mother and stepfather locked her and her brother in closets for days without food, forced them to sleep in a doghouse outside in freezing weather, and beat them with belts and cords. She also revealed that her stepfather offered her food in exchange for sexual favors.
She described her brother’s death in August 2021, saying her mother told her he had a seizure and died because they didn’t want to seek medical help out of fear of getting into trouble.
Miles and his cousin buried Orlando’s body in a park, later dug it up, burned it in a barrel, and discarded the ashes in a drainage system.
Camille Lewis initially denied knowing what happened to her son, claiming he had run away. She later admitted he died in her arms.
Prosecutors called the case one of the most horrific they had ever seen. Assistant District Attorney Amy Dickens said, “The torture, abuse, and neglect these children faced day after day is abhorrent. We hope this brings justice for Orlando and his sister.”
Assistant District Attorney John Tjeerdsma added, “This crime came from a place of pure evil. We thank the jury and law enforcement for holding John Miles accountable for his actions.”
