Nevada Woman Chopped Father of Her Kids and Tossed His Head in Trash; Accepts Plea-Deal: Prosecutors
A woman from Las Vegas has entered a guilty plea in connection with the shocking case involving the beheading of her children’s father, whose head was reportedly discarded in the trash.
Devyn Michaels, aged 46, has admitted to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Johnathan James Willette, who was also 46 years old. According to a report from a local CBS affiliate, she will qualify for parole in 15 years. According to online court records, her plea was entered on Tuesday. The startling incident emerged when the victim’s mother stumbled upon the headless body emitting fumes from a blend of bleach and ammonia.
A report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal outlined the incident, referencing an arrest document that described the events at a home on Pala Dura-Drive. This occurred after Willette’s mother contacted law enforcement, stating she discovered him “wrapped up in blankets and bloody.”
“Johnathan’s head had been severed from his body, and was not observed to be in the room,” the arrest report said, according to the newspaper.
Authorities detected a strong chemical odor and observed smoke emanating from a body that they suspect had been treated with bleach and ammonia, according to local Fox affiliate KVVU.
Willette’s head remains missing. Authorities suspect the accused transported it to her residence in Las Vegas and disposed of it in the garbage, which was later collected during waste management and taken to a landfill, according to KLAS.
Authorities reported that the individual involved was the suspect’s intermittent romantic partner. The mother of the victim allegedly informed authorities that Michaels was previously in a relationship with Willette, and they were attempting to reconcile.
Michaels was previously married to Willette’s son, according to the Review-Journal. She informed the authorities that she had wed Willette’s son in order to provide mutual assistance. The son informed investigators that he and Michaels tied the knot “to assist Devyn with her medical concerns,” according to the report.
Michaels and Willette were also parents to two daughters, according to the Review-Journal.
Authorities administered a lie-detector test following reports that the victim’s keys, wallet, and bloodied phone were discovered in Willette’s residence, according to KLAS.
During the interview, she claimed that the victim “was abusive to her” and that he had a child “take showers in front of him.” According to the arrest report, she allegedly stated that while they were in bed, she struck him in the head with a stick, causing his arms to go limp.
“Devyn stated that she did not want to kill Johnathan and only wanted to hurt him enough that he would have to go to the hospital because she wanted him out of the way so she could figure out what she could do with her children,” the report said.
The mother of the victim informed authorities that a meat cleaver was unaccounted for in the kitchen, according to the report.
Just two days following the homicide, Michaels appeared in court to address a separate child abuse matter concerning her 8-year-old daughter, as reported by KLAS. During the hearing, she asserted to the judge that she had not been abusive; however, she received a sentence of one year of probation following the child’s report to a teacher about alleged abuse at home.
“[The employee] stated that [the child] approached her teacher and told her that she had got a ‘whooping’ while at home from her stepfather,” documents said, KLAS reported. “[The child] also told the teacher that her mother gave her a ‘whopping’ the week prior for having apple juice.”
The Henderson Police Department announced that Michaels was taken into custody in connection with Willette’s murder on August 15.
According to Willette’s obituary, he was a familiar figure on the Las Vegas Strip, where he spent two decades selling timeshares and was a devoted father of two.
“Johnathan loved to talk to everyone, especially at his jobs,” his obituary said. “He was known as someone who would help you out by giving you a job in hard times and also moving you or your possessions on moment’s notice.”
Michaels is scheduled for sentencing on October 31, according to online jail booking records.
