Wisconsin Woman turns to jail ministry after father's death

By Kristen Zambo The Journal Times, Racine RACINE, Wis. (AP) -- For some, tracking down the man who killed your father, just to forgive him, wouldn't rank high on a list of things to do. And for years, it wasn't for Kristina Miller, either. "We suffer, me and my family," she said. "It's changed us tremendously. A parent's not supposed to get killed." After her father, Geoffrey B. Miller, was fatally shot Feb. 25, 1998, while working as a Chinese restaurant delivery driver, she became fearful, she said, and experienced depression. She moved out of Racine, then out of state. But more than six years after her father was slain, Miller -- who said she was robbed in 1992 by a thief armed with a loaded shotgun -- met with the man convicted of killing her dad. "In 2002, I asked Jesus into my heart," Miller said, explaining that her faith gave her the strength to meet and forgive Kenneth Moss. And that changed everything. The Sturtevant woman, now 40, began ministering to inmates at the Racine County Jail. She said she has been volunteering for more than four years with the jail's chaplain, helping to lead Bible study sessions since 2007. "These guys (in jail) needed to know God loved them, no matter what they did," Miller explained. "Some people don't ever want to give them a chance. "I never would have thought after my dad got killed that I would ever, ever do this," she said. Asking for forgiveness Moss, then just 18 years old, was sentenced Sept. 8, 1998, to the maximum term of 65 years behind bars for Geoffrey Miller's slaying. He was sentenced for first-degree reckless homicide and attempted armed robbery. Her father, who was 56 years old, worked the part-time job as a Chinese food delivery driver for Whey Chai. Moss called the restaurant that night and ordered 12 egg rolls so he could rob the delivery driver, a prosecutor said at the time. To ensure the delivery man wouldn't spot him first, Moss loosened a light bulb near the porch, the prosecutor said. His fingerprints later were found on that light bulb, near the 1700 block of Villa Street. During his sentencing hearing on Sept. 8, 1998, Moss apologized for shooting Geoffrey Miller, telling family members he hoped "someday that you can forgive me." That's precisely what Miller did, eventually. She said she traveled with her sister to the Green Bay Correctional Institution to meet with Moss on Aug. 25, 2004. Their meeting came 6-1/2 years to the day after their father was killed. Initially, she thought she wanted to meet him to tell "him what it did to the family, how it tortured us," she said. "I felt like slapping him in the face." However, "God spoke to my heart and let me know I was no better than this guy," Miller said. "He (God) said I needed to forgive him, and there are no big and small sins. It was a freedom for me, and for this guy." Three years after that fateful meeting, Miller said she started volunteering with the jail's chaplain. Moss, 31, now is in the Redgranite Correctional Institution in Redgranite, according to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. 'She's genuine' Chaplain Merritt Adams said he has no doubt that Miller -- who goes by the nickname Krissy -- is committed to God and ministering to inmates. "She lives God's word to the best she knows how," he said. "It's always because of a love of God she has in her heart. That's the kind of people I'm looking for: truly committed people." Inmates respond to Miller, he said. "Most of the time when she's working with the inmates in here, they're looking forward to her (visit). They know what they're gonna get. She's genuine," Adams said. "There's no pretense about her. What you see is what you get." Miller is one of about 80 volunteers working with Adams' jail ministry, he said. They host 10 church services a week and inmates also can participate in about 14 different programs, such as General Educational Development classes and library and life skills programs. "We need to love those who aren't like we think they ought to be," said Adams, who said he has served as jail chaplain since September 2000. "We have so many lost souls in here. Every day she gives back -- without reserve." Miller said when she met with Moss, they talked about what happened the night her father was killed. She said he told her he didn't intend to shoot her dad. She said she told him "God loved him, too." "He told the mediator that was one of the best days of his life," Miller said, beaming. Moss could be released from prison in June 2041 to go on extended supervision with a parole officer, according to state DOC records. He is eligible for parole in May 2014, DOC records show. DOC spokeswoman Linda Eggert said when he goes on parole, Moss' case will be handled by parole officers in Racine. "(Jesus) gives us the choice to forgive or hold onto the bitterness. Love plus trust plus forgiveness equals healing," Miller said. "And it really does. When we walked into the prison, (my sister and I) felt tremendous peace." Published: Mon, Jan 16, 2012