Devyn Michaels, a former adult film star, has been accused of killing her father-in-law, Jonathan Willette, with whom she allegedly had an affair after marrying his son secretly. The 46-year-old Michaels was arrested when Willette, also 46, was discovered beheaded and with chemical burns in his Las Vegas home.
Authorities found Willette’s body defiled with bleach and ammonia, and his head was never recovered. Michaels and Willette had a complicated relationship, sharing two daughters and being involved in an on-and-off romance. Michaels’ unique family situation involved being both Willette’s partner and daughter-in-law due to her secret marriage to Willette’s adult son.
Last autumn, Michaels pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement that included a 15-year prison term with parole eligibility. However, during her sentencing hearing in July, Michaels unexpectedly claimed innocence, prompting prosecutors to pursue a first-degree murder trial, which commenced recently.
In the trial’s opening statements, the lead prosecutor asserted that Michaels killed Willette because she desired to raise her children with his son, Deviere Willette, aged 29. While Michaels and Jonathan Willette were not legally married, she reportedly tied the knot with Deviere in 2021, allegedly to receive assistance with her medical issues.
At the time of Willette’s death, Michaels and Deviere were planning to reunite for their children’s sake. Prosecutors argue that Michaels did not want this arrangement and sought to eliminate Willette from the picture to achieve the future she envisioned, as depicted in a family photo presented by the chief prosecutor during the trial.
During a polygraph test, Deviere displayed a significant physiological reaction when questioned about his involvement in his father’s death. Michaels later confessed to striking Willette with a wooden spoon, claiming she only intended to harm him to the extent that he would require hospitalization to remove him from the situation so she could focus on her children.
Investigators suspect that Willette’s decapitated head was disposed of in the trash and eventually taken to a landfill. Prior to her scheduled sentencing, Michaels emotional breakdown in court, asserting her innocence and determination to prove it, despite the family’s doubts.
The trial is ongoing.