Retired Benton County prosecutor named Tri-Citian of the Year

Andy Miller, who served as Benton County prosecutor for close to four decades, has received one of the Mid-Columbia’s highest recognitions for service to the community. 

Miller was recently awarded Tri-Citian of the Year at the annual awards banquet for the honor on Thursday. The award is given to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service above self and show appreciation to efforts exerted in building community through service. 

Miller grew up in the Tri-Cities and began dedicating his life to service early on, working as a lifeguard in the 1970s at what was then the Columbia Park Lagoon. Social justice also was a value instilled in him by his parents, leading him to pursue a career in law. 

He was first elected as county prosecutor in 1987, having been a deputy prosecutor for six years prior. He served for 36 years, making him the longest tenured Benton County employee and longest tenured prosecutor in the state.  

During that time, he personally prosecuted hundreds of cases, including dozens of murders, one which resulted in the death penalty. He also earned numerous community awards, including the Hero of Hope award, Public Official of the Year from the Washington State Association for Justice and, most recently, the North Star award from the Blue Mountain Council of Scouting America. 

Miller has said he believed he made a difference through his life’s work. He announced his retirement in March 2022, noting he would not run for re-election in the fall. 

“To the announcement and the reason for the announcement, I am going to talk about the cases and the effects on the victims, and I have a strong belief,” he said at a March press conference. “That every case like this destroys a part of your soul. And I don’t think when I go through a case like this, I ever get it back.” 

This year’s Tri-Citian of the Year banquet featured Broadway star and Richland native Santino Fontana as the keynote speaker alongside emcee Cathy Kelly, a local performer and community advocate.