LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A lady about to be sentenced for decapitating the daddy of her kids and throwing his head within the trash unexpectedly revoked her plea Thursday in a heated and emotional listening to.
Henderson police arrested Devyn Michaels, 47, who additionally makes use of the identify Tracee Tavarez, on Aug. 15, 2023, for the homicide of 46-year-old Johnathon Willette. Police mentioned Michaels killed and decapitated Willette at a Henderson residence.
Final fall, Michaels pleaded responsible to a second-degree homicide cost. As a part of the deal, she can be eligible for parole after serving 15 years in jail. As in all plea offers, sentencing is on the decide’s discretion. Michaels later tried to revoke her plea, however Clark County District Courtroom Choose Tierra Jones decided Michaels entered it “voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently,” paperwork mentioned.
Throughout sentencing Thursday, Michaels apologized to Willette’s household after which instantly mentioned she was harmless.
“It doesn’t turn out the way they tell me it will, and it just gets worse, and I don’t know what to do anymore,” she mentioned as tears streamed down her face.
Michaels’ statements led Deputy Clark County District Lawyer John Giordani to name for Michaels to withdraw her plea, sending the case to trial.
“This wouldn’t be appropriate. Let’s go to trial,” he mentioned.
“I don’t know how to fix this,” Michaels mentioned as Jones agreed to withdraw the plea.
When Henderson police spoke to Michaels after the homicide in 2023, she advised them that she didn’t reside with Willette, however that they had been within the technique of shifting in collectively to make it simpler on their kids, paperwork mentioned. Nevertheless, this transfer was sophisticated as a result of Michaels was married to and lived with Willette’s son, making him each her husband and stepson.
Michaels is accused of taking Willette’s head from the Henderson crime scene and driving it to her residence in Las Vegas, the place she threw it within the trash, paperwork mentioned. The top was then doubtless picked up by a trash service, prosecutors mentioned. It was by no means recovered.
Because the 8 Information Now Investigators reported after Michaels’ arrest, Clark County District Courtroom Choose Mary Kay Holthus sentenced her to 1 yr of probation on the kid abuse cost on Aug. 9, 2023 — after prosecutors consider Michaels had killed Willette. Within the days earlier than and after that listening to, police had been interviewing Michaels and gathering proof as a part of their homicide investigation, paperwork mentioned.
“She’s a low risk of reoffending,” Michaels’ public defender advised Holthus on the time. “There’s nothing on there that says she would offend again.”
Jones scheduled a listening to within the homicide case for July 31.
