A Nevada woman is facing charges for the alleged murder of her boyfriend, whose decapitated body was found in their shared Henderson home, according to local law enforcement. The accused, Devyn Michaels, 45, was arrested on August 15, following the discovery of Johnathan James Willette’s, 47, headless body by his mother on August 7.
Upon entering the bedroom, police officers reported a strong chemical odor, believed to be a mixture of bleach and ammonia, emanating from the body, which was also emitting smoke. The victim’s head was not found in the room and remains missing.
Willette’s mother informed the police that she had last seen her son around 10 p.m. the previous night and had encountered Michaels in the kitchen around 1 a.m. Michaels had told her that Willette was in bed, intoxicated, and that they planned to wake up early to register their children for school.
Michaels told the police that she had left the house that morning after speaking with Willette’s mother. However, investigators later discovered Willette’s wallet, keys, social security card, and blood-stained phone in her home.
During a polygraph test, Michaels exhibited a “significant reaction” when questioned about Willette’s murder. When asked about her reaction, she alleged that Willette had been abusive towards her and had forced his oldest child to shower in his presence.
Michaels also claimed that she had struck Willette in the head with a wooden stick when he attempted to coerce her into a sexual act while she was massaging his back in bed. She insisted that her intention was not to kill Willette but to injure him severely enough to require hospitalization, giving her time to decide what to do with their children. She did not confess to decapitating Willette. The coroner’s office has yet to determine Willette’s cause of death.