Away from jury, detective testifies about disposal of victim’s head in decapitation case

A police detective testified Wednesday that a woman accused of killing her on-and-off boyfriend indicated she disposed of his head in the trash.

Detective Dennis Ozawa of the Henderson Police Department also said Devyn Michaels failed a polygraph test and admitted to hitting the man with a blunt object and noticing that he went limp.

Michaels, who was also married to the son of the man slain, shook her head as Ozawa spoke about her alleged comments.

Ozawa made those statements while testifying during a hearing outside the presence of jurors about statements Michaels is said to have made to police.

Michaels, 47, is standing trial in the killing of Johnathan Willette, 46, who was found decapitated in his mother’s Henderson home in August 2023.

The detective said Michaels submitted to multiple interviews with police. For one, investigators went to the Henderson Detention Center after learning she wanted to speak with them again and read Michaels her rights, he said.

She said she could not afford an attorney but wanted one, according to Ozawa.

The detectives explained they were only present at her request and a detective asked if she wanted to proceed with the interview, he said. Michaels said yes and hoped to undergo another polygraph test, Ozawa told District Judge Tierra Jones.

At one point, Michaels asked police to turn off their recording device and after they complied, she discussed what she did with the head, said Ozawa.

Defense attorney Robert Draskovich argued that the judge should exclude all statements after Michaels invoked her right to an attorney.

Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani said it was clear Michaels was not coerced.

Jones ruled that Michaels’ statement was voluntary and could be used for the purposes of impeachment, which is when attorneys undermine a witness’ credibility.

Draskovich said after court that he takes issue with the accuracy of the statement that Michaels disposed of Willette’s head.

Ozawa also testified to jurors in the case Wednesday.

He said there was not as much blood at the scene as would be expected, though he assumed the decapitation had occurred there.

“You cannot testify to this jury whether or not the person who did the killing put a towel over the head or anything like that when the real wet work was happening, correct?” Giordani asked.

“Correct,” Ozawa confirmed.

Draskovich has suggested the body could have been moved.

The detective also told the jury that Michaels initially claimed that Willette was alive and smoking in the garage when she left him. Willette’s mother has said she talked to Michaels at about 1 a.m. and that Michaels told her Willette had been drinking and was asleep.

“Those statements were contradictory to one another,” Ozawa said.

Draskovich attempted to question the thoroughness of the investigation, asking Ozawa about evidence including footprints in the yard of Willette’s mother’s house and swords found at Michaels’ house.

The detective acknowledged the swords were not kept and the footprints were documented, but that he did not think they received further examination.

“Fair to say that samurai swords would kind of fall in that realm of importance when it comes to a decapitation case?” the defense lawyer asked.

Ozawa said it was his understanding there was no blood on the swords. He also said they looked like souvenir swords.

As for the footprints, the detective said it’s not possible to put a time stamp on shoe prints.

But Ozawa confirmed that the killer took clear steps to cover up.

Taking someone’s head is a “very extreme” step, he said.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.