But authorities now say that Miller lied when he told authorities at the time that he was not aware that his wife was right next to him.



According to the affidavit of probable cause filed Thursday against Miller, Ferman had authorized the investigation against Miller to continue after she was presented with more information on the case.



In its announcement Friday, the DA's office, now led by District Attorney Kevin R. Steele, who was Ferman's first assistant in 2014, said that forensic and ballistic tests conducted over the last two years showed that Joanna Miller was indeed shot at close range and that her husband disregarded essential safety measures.



Investigators determined that the muzzle of Miller's firearm was between 3 and 6 inches away from his wife's head when he shot her, the affidavit says.



"Miller should have been aware that his wife was seated right next to him, and that the muzzle was pointed directly at her head, when he pulled the trigger and shot her to death," the affidavit says.



Miller "lied to police when he stated he did not know where Joanna was at the time of the shooting" and "also lied" when he told police he was 8 to 10 feet away from her, and then later "lied again when he changed his answer" and said he was roughly 2 feet away from her, the affidavit says.