Kontz's Family Seeks to Reinstate Visitation Rights

Wilmington, N.C. — The parents of an AIDS researcher who was fatally poisoned by his wife plan to go to court Tuesday to keep their granddaughter from seeing her mother.

Eric Miller was killed in December 2000 after ingesting arsenic. Ann Miller Kontz pleaded guilty in 2005 to killing him and is now serving a 25-year prison sentence.

District Judge Phyllis Gorham in February ordered Kontz' sister and brother-in-law, Dan and Danielle Wilson, who are the legal guardians of 7-year-old Clare Miller, not to take the child to see Kontz in prison.

Verus and Doris Miller, Eric Miller's parents, share custody of Clare with the Wilsons and sought the court order to block Kontz's visitation rights. The couple, who frequently travel from their Indiana home to Wilmington to see their granddaughter, said they don't think it's in Clare's best interest to see Kontz in prison.

Kontz, who hasn't seen her daughter since last year, is still allowed to speak with Clare on the phone.

Gorham left open the possibility that her decision could be revisited, and the Wilsons are again seeking more discretion in taking Clare to see her mother.

The Wilsons are also petitioning the court to have Clare's last name changed to Wilson, saying they want her to share their name so she fits in completely with their family.

The Millers said they want the child to keep her name as legacy to her father.