Devyn Michaels, 47, once a well-known adult star in Las Vegas, will spend at least the next 28 years behind bars after being convicted of the horrific murder and decapitation of her ex-boyfriend, the father of their two young daughters, in August 2023.
Prosecutors centered their case on the savage killing that unfolded just as Jonathan Willette, 46, was getting ready to move into Michaels’ home.
Prosecutors played a video of Michaels recalling the crime to police during the trial. She said she had been massaging her ex in his bedroom when she hit him with an item she described as “candlestick-like,” reported KTLA.
Devyn Michaels, 47, has been sentenced to 28 years behind bars for the horrific murder of her ex partnerFacebook/Devyn Michaels
In her opening remarks, Michaels claimed she killed Willette out of frustration over how quickly he was moving in with their daughters. The former couple had discussed living together again months earlier, in hopes of “keeping their family together.”
The story then took an even darker turn: at the time of the crime, Michaels was married to Deviere, her ex-partner’s adult son from a previous relationship.
Michaels and Deviere told police their marriage was for insurance purposes, but it was later revealed they had been secretly involved for years, even while Michaels dated Johnathan. Defense attorneys spun a dramatically different tale, accusing Deviere of the murder, claiming he killed his father out of fear of losing both Devyn and their home.
Eighth Judicial District Court Judge Tierra Jones sentenced Devyn Michaels to 20 years to life for murder, plus a consecutive 8 to 20 years for using a deadly weapon. This means Michaels cannot seek parole until she has served 28 years behind bars.
Michaels was reportedly frustrated at how quickly her ex was moving in with their daughters and hit him over the head with a candlestick-like item before decapitating him.KLAS
Michaels had married her former stepson shortly before killing Willette (pictured).Facebook/Johnathan Willette
At sentencing, Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani said that despite Michaels’ lack of criminal history, the extreme violence in Willette’s murder warranted the highest possible sentence.
“You have to put her on the far end of the spectrum of evil, judge,” Giordani exclaimed. “This is a person who’s capable of such extreme evil. Is that person someone who we want to walk our streets, whether that is 20 years from now, 28 years from now, or not?”
Michaels continued to deny decapitating her ex or hiding his head, even as evidence mounted against her. Police have yet to recover Willette’s head or the murder weapon.
“Her girls are going to die with the knowledge that she killed their father,” Johnathan Willette’s father, James “JC” Willette, told the court.
“That’s where she should be. If you take somebody’s life, you shouldn’t be out running around.”