LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Middletown man has been charged with murder for the death of his adult daughter in a Tuesday night shooting.

Steven Russell Miller, 39, was arrested early Wednesday morning, hours after the fatal shooting of his 20-year-old daughter, Hannah Welch.

On Thursday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said he filed charges against Miller in the case.

The charges include murder, and use and discharge of a gun causing great bodily injury, Hinchcliff said.

The gun charge adds 25 years to life upon conviction, meaning that Miller could face a maximum sentence of 50 years to life if he’s found guilty, Hinchcliff explained.

In addition, Hinchcliff charged Miller with a misdemeanor of brandishing a firearm at his mother, who was the witness in the case.

Miller’s mother also was the reporting party on the night of the shooting, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies and medical personnel from Cal Fire and South Lake County Fire responded at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday to a call of a man who shot his daughter at a residence in the 18000 block of Spyglass Road in Hidden Valley Lake, as Lake County News has reported.

When deputies and paramedics arrived, they found Welch’s body inside the residence, with Miller having fled the scene. He was taken into custody in the subdivision a short time later, the sheriff’s office said.

Miller is due to appear for arraignment in the case on Friday, Hinchcliff said.

While Hinchcliff said he only has initial reports in on the case so far, “I’m not expecting to be adding any other charges.”

He also said that a great deal more investigative work is required at this stage in the case.

One of the key questions remains why Miller shot the young woman. “I don’t know what the motive was,” said Hinchcliff,

He said investigators will be following up on issues related to motive, including the relationship between Miller and Welch, and Miller’s mental health.

Miller is being held on $1 million bail at the Lake County Jail.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.