After nine years without answers, it took a jury two and a half hours last Thursday to find Winston Corbett guilty of murder of Goshen College professor James (Jim) Miller and attempted murder of his wife, Linda Miller.

Corbett, 16 years old at the time of the murder, was arrested on Oct. 28, 2018 and could now be facing up to 65 years in prison for each charge.

The tragedy in 2011 left the GC community aching the loss of a biology professor of 30 years.

“Goshen College was Jim’s world in so many ways,” Linda Miller said. “He loved academics, loved teaching and loved the students.”

Julie Reese, professor of psychology, was a good friend of Jim Miller.

“[Jim] was my go-to expert for questions pertaining to the intersection of biology and psychology, as well as personal interest questions I had,” Reese said. “I sincerely miss his genuineness, passion and deep integrity.”

President Stoltzfus shared her remarks on the legacy of the former biology professor.

“He was an extraordinary biology professor here who made a profound impact on hundreds of our students, many of whom are carrying on his legacy today as family physicians, researchers, nurses and surgeons around the world — including in the current fight against the pandemic. He is dearly missed.”

The first few years following the attack, Linda Miller was often fearful when going out at night, “wondering if the assailant would come back.” However, as time went on, she and her family built a new life together and moved on.

However, when Corbett was arrested in 2018 and the trial began, some of those same initial emotions were brought up again.

“A trial in itself is traumatic,” she said. “You have to live through everything again.”

Since then, Linda Miller said she and her family have received overwhelming support from members of their church in Goshen, Clinton Frame, where Linda Miller is an interim pastor.

“Throughout the trial we had at least 50 cards sitting in the living room,” Linda Miller said.

“If there is one thing that I would want the world to know about this journey, it is that God has been faithful and has given us the strength that we have needed to not only survive but also to thrive through some incredibly tough days and years.”

Throughout the nine year process, she said her faith has been a driving force for her and her family.

“What this whole experience has taught [our family] is to walk by faith and not by sight,” Miller said. “Because we can’t see the future. We couldn’t see tomorrow, the next day after that — couldn’t see our way through trauma.

“This is not the time to turn away from God, it is the time to lean into God,” Miller said. “We have had to lean so hard because there were so many times when we couldn’t stand.”