Devyn Michaels, 46, takes plea deal on second-degree murder charge

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The woman who decapitated the father of her children and threw his head in the trash could serve between 15 years to life in prison as part of a plea agreement, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

Henderson police arrested Devyn Michaels, 46, who also uses the name Tracee Tavarez, on Aug. 15, 2023, for the murder of 46-year-old Johnathon Willette. Police said Michaels killed and decapitated Willette at a Henderson home.

Michaels pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge Tuesday. As part of the deal, she would be eligible for parole after serving 15 years in prison. As in all plea deals, sentencing is at the judge’s discretion.

Records show Las Vegas Metro police arrested Michaels on a child abuse or neglect charge on Oct. 14, 2022. An employee at a childcare facility called police to report an 8-year-old with bruising on her leg.

As the 8 News Now Investigators reported last year, Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus sentenced Michaels to one year of probation on the child abuse charge on Aug. 9 — after Michaels had killed Willette. In the days before and after that hearing, police were interviewing Michaels and collecting evidence as part of their murder investigation, documents said.

“I have done counseling classes, therapy, drug tests, psych evaluations, I’ve done everything,” Michaels told Holthus during that 2023 sentencing. “Everyone I’ve spoken to say I’m not an abusive person and they don’t feel there’s any risk for me to abuse her or would ever do this again.”

“She’s a low risk of reoffending,” Michaels’ public defender told Holthus. “There’s nothing on there that says she would offend again.”

When Henderson police spoke to Michaels around the same time, she told them that she did not live with Willette, but that they were in the process of moving in together to make it easier on their children, documents said. However, this move was complicated because Michaels was married and lived with Willette’s son, making him both her husband and stepson.

Michaels allegedly took Willette’s head from the Henderson crime scene and drove it to her home in Las Vegas where she threw it in the trash, documents said. The head was then likely picked up by a trash service, prosecutors said. It was never recovered.

Michaels’ sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 31.