By admin 
GILBERT, AZ (AZFamily) — A death investigation is underway after the body of a mother of three was found inside her Gilbert home last weekend.
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Cindy Miller’s ex-boyfriend now faces charges of concealing a dead body, burglary and trafficking stolen property.
Kristopher Lauchner appeared in court for an initial appearance, where he was accused of moving Miller’s body from where she died to her home, driving her car, pawning her jewelry and sending text messages from her phone to keep her family from worrying.
Welfare check leads to discovery
Gilbert police were called to Miller’s home Saturday after her daughter, Jacquie, reached out with concerns. Officers conducted a welfare check and found Miller’s body inside the home, along with evidence that some items were missing.
Jacquie said she had last seen her mother a few days earlier when Miller traveled to Flagstaff for a final dress fitting. Jacquie is set to be married in less than a month.
License plate readers aided investigation
Authorities said license plate reader technology helped them track Miller’s car and determine it was being used by Lauchner in the days surrounding her death.
Court records show Lauchner was barred from having any contact with Miller as a condition of his pretrial release on a domestic violence case involving her.
Courtroom reaction
During the initial appearance, Lauchner appeared to grin as Miller’s boyfriend, Charlie Mills, addressed the court.
“Kristopher is definitely a menace to society. He is totally responsible for her death,” Mills said.
The judge intervened, telling Lauchner to control himself while victims were making their statements.
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Miller’s daughter Jacquie also addressed the court.
“He’s hurt my family beyond belief and has manipulated every situation that he’s ever been in,” Jacquie said. “He’s not a safe person. He’s a dangerous, dangerous person.”
Neighbor Pete Garcia reacted to the allegations that Lauchner transported the body.
“That’s really kind of creepy and to think that he says he carried the body in,” Garcia said.
Mills added: “Everybody is devastated. And we lost somebody who we should not have lost.”
Investigators said they are continuing to look into how Miller died. The case remains an active death investigation.
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