Crime and Safety: High-Profile Cases in Las Vegas

Henderson Police Detective Kari Skinner testified in the trial of Devyn Michaels, accused of murdering and decapitating her on-and-off boyfriend, Johnathan Willette. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Skinner described how, hours after Willette's decapitated body was discovered inside his mother's home, police found his bloodied cell phone in the driveway of Michaels' residence.

The testimony revealed that on August 7, 2023, detectives approached Michaels to question her about evidence related to Willette's death. During their investigation, officers had already located a plastic bag in Michaels' underwear drawer that contained Willette's wallet and ID.

Skinner testified that, during their visit, she spotted a cellphone on the driveway near Michaels' Nissan SUV, which had blood on it. Michaels was seen moving items from the vehicle as detectives arrived.

Skinner noted that she refrained from immediately collecting the phone to avoid contaminating the evidence. Moments later, one of Michaels' young daughters approached holding the phone, stating, 'Mommy, here’s daddy's cellphone.

This is why he didn’t answer.' Skinner indicated that Michaels reacted physically when the child picked up the phone and then offered it to police, saying, 'This should help you.' Both the blood and the cellphone were later confirmed to belong to Willette.

Phone data analysis showed that Michaels had made several calls to Willette after his death. When questioned about the blood, Michaels claimed that Willette had previously cut his hand while moving a table.

However, Skinner stated that the autopsy revealed no injuries beyond decapitation. Additionally, detectives examined the table Michaels mentioned, finding no blood. During the recorded interview played for jurors, Michaels described Willette as someone who easily became angry and had a gambling problem.

She expressed a determination to keep him happy, citing his legal custody of their daughters as a motivating factor. This trial underscores significant safety concerns in Las Vegas, particularly in light of recent high-profile crime cases, prompting discussions on crime prevention and community safety measures.

For the Las Vegas Review-Journal, this is Akiya Dillon.