The King County Prosecutor has increased the charges against Scottye Miller, accused in the fatal stabbing of his ex-girlfriend, Tricia Patricelli, Oct. 30 in Auburn, from second- to first degree-murder.

Miller, 30, was arraigned Nov. 15 and pleaded not guilty to the amended charge. He remains in jail with bail set at $1 million. A case setting hearing is scheduled for December 13 at the Maleng Regional Justice Center.

The King County Prosecutor’s office had earlier charged Miller with second-degree murder for the stabbing death of Patricelli, 33.

Prosecutors allege Milller stabbed Patricell more than 20 times in her home and fled.

According to information gleaned from the bail request, Miller had just been released from prison two weeks before the murder after serving a sentence for assaulting and threatening to kill Patricelli.

According to the Auburn Police Department’s statement of probable cause, at about 8:30 a.m. a downstairs neighbor heard a woman screaming in Patricelli’s apartment. Shortly after that, another neighbor looked outside and saw a man, later identified as Miller, come down the stairs from Patricelli’s apartment, throw items over a fence then jump the fence and run east.

The neighbor then saw another man, Patricelli’s current boyfriend, who had discovered her body, walk down the stairs and stand outside, talking on a cell phone. The man with the cell phone, who was talking to Patricelli’s mother, asked another neighbor to call police.

Police later found Patricelli dead in her bathroom of numerous stab wounds.

At about 10:10 a.m., patrol officers saw a man with blood on his clothing who matched the description of Miller and arrested him at the nearby Top Food & Drug on Auburn Way North.

During the subsequent interview, according to the police statement, Miller told detectives that he had been involved in a romantic, dating relationship with Patricelli for about four years and that the two had previously lived together. At first, he denied stabbing Patricelli, though he admitted to having sent her numerous texts threatening to beat and kill her. He claimed he had found her dead, but according to the police statement finally admitted that he had gone to Patricelli’s apartment and argued with her. According to the police statement, Miller told detectives that he had “snapped”, put on a pair of gloves, armed himself with two knives and stabbed her to death in her bathroom.

The King County Medical Examiner estimated that Patricelli had been stabbed at least 22 times in her neck, face, torso and back.

Miller has more than 15 convictions for domestic violence related offenses dating back to 2002, involving Patricelli and other victims, including convictions for felony harassment, fourth-degree assault, six court order violations, third-degree assault, tampering with a witness and telephone harassment.

Banner Bank has set up a fund for the two daughters of Tricia Patricelli. To contribute, locate a Banner Bank and tell a bank official you wish to make a deposit for Tricia Patricelli. Patricelli was the client advocate for New Connections of South King County in Kent.