A woman who used to work in adult films has been found guilty by a jury for the murder of her former husband. The woman, identified as Devyn Michaels, was convicted of first-degree murder after a lengthy trial where prosecutors and defense attorneys presented contrasting narratives to the jury.
The prosecution argued that Michaels harbored resentment towards her ex-husband for gaining custody of their children, leading her to commit the crime. Despite attempts by Michaels’ defense team to shift suspicion to her former husband’s son, no concrete evidence linking him to the murder was presented during the trial.
Michaels was arrested in 2023 after her ex-husband’s decapitated body was discovered at his residence in Las Vegas, showing signs of severe injuries. Prosecutors unveiled that Michaels had married the victim’s son following her divorce from the victim, claiming both marriages were mere conveniences.
During the trial, the victim’s son denied any involvement in his father’s death. Prosecutors presented a video wherein Michaels confessed to striking her ex-husband with a candlestick-like object, leading to his death. Michaels allegedly disposed of the victim’s head in a bin, although it has not been found.
Michaels’ defense team argued that she lacked the physical ability to commit such a crime and emphasized the absence of witnesses to the murder. Despite initially admitting guilt to second-degree murder, Michaels later retracted her plea, leading to a trial where she asserted her innocence.
Before the proceedings, Michaels apologized but maintained her innocence, pushing the case to trial. The court documents revealed that her attempt to withdraw her plea was denied by the judge, who ruled that it was made voluntarily and knowingly.