Jonet Miller was a resident of Dundrennane, a parish in Rerrick, Kirkcudbright, whose name first appeared in the historical record in a 1648 Kirkcudbright roll. By April 1658, Jonet found herself at the centre of legal proceedings in Dumfries, facing a draft dittay supported by the testimony of fifteen witnesses—seven men and eight women. Within the context of these proceedings, she was identified as a "witch woman," a designation that suggests she was known in her community as a practitioner of healing arts. It was noted that Jonet’s reputation for these services was such that she would travel significant distances to provide care, and historical records indicate she may have been a widow at the time of her arrest.
Following her apprehension, Jonet provided a confession in April 1658. The legal process moved with relative speed; on 9 April, she was tried in Dumfries and found guilty. Her sentence was finalized the following day, resulting in her execution in May 1658. In accordance with the judicial customs of the era, the method prescribed for Jonet’s execution was to be strangled and then burned.