She stood in court not to accept her sentence, but to plead her innocence after already admitting guilt. A man her children's father was found with his head missing, discarded in a public trash bin like yesterday's news. And the woman accused of doing it cried and begged in court, pleading with the judge and the victim's family to believe she was innocent. >> But I can actually prove my innocence. I actually can, and I'm not going to stop fighting to prove my innocence. But why did she change her story? And more importantly, what made the judge agree to throw out her guilty plea? >> Miss Michael Judge, Mr. Garami says that he's willing to let you out of your plea and he's willing to try this case and you understand that he's willing to try this case on an open murder. So, a jury can convict you of a first-degree murder. You understand that? >> Oh, and did I mention she was not only in a relationship with the victim, she was married to his son? Yes. legally married to the adult son of the man who fathered her children. Yes, that makes her both mother of his children and daughter-in-law. How do you untangle that mess? And what role does that relationship play in this case? Is this a shocking twist of justice or a desperate attempt to escape it? This is the disturbing, strange, and still unfolding case of Devon Michaels. And by the end of this video, you'll have heard every disturbing detail. From the gruesome discovery to the courtroom moment that shocked everyone watching. Before we get to the chilling crime itself, we have to understand who Devon Michaels is. Devon wasn't just some random name that popped up in the headlines. She was a mother, a young woman in her late 20s, a woman who at first glance many would have never suspected of being connected to anything violent, much less what she would eventually be accused of. Devon Michaels lived in Henderson, Nevada. At the time of the incident, she was legally married to the adult son of Jonathan Wulette, the man later found decapitated. In other words, she was his daughter-in-law while they were also romantically involved and importantly parents of two young daughters together. Those who knew her described her as quiet, somewhat reserved, but deeply committed to her children. The father of those children was someone who had a complicated relationship with her. But what does complicated really mean in this context? Was it just the typical back and forth of co-parenting? or was something more volatile building under the surface? And could there have been signs, early warnings that no one took seriously? Jonathan Wulette, the victim, was in his 60s, Devon in her late 20s. Their relationship raised eyebrows long before anything violent happened. Some speculated that Devon married the son for legal reasons. Some say it was to secure health insurance, housing, or even immigration related benefits. Others say it was part of a deeply dysfunctional and toxic living arrangement where everyone involved blurred boundaries. Whatever the case, it added layers to the tragedy that was about to unfold. It all started with a horrifying discovery. In August 2023, a passer by in Las Vegas noticed a plastic bin sticking out of a dumpster. Something looked strange. At first, they thought it was a Halloween prop. Maybe some realistic fake head or mannequin. But when they got closer, they realized it was very real. Inside that bin was a man's head, just the head. Authorities rushed to the scene, and it didn't take long to confirm the victim's identity, 64year-old Jonathan Wulette. Investigators would later find his dismembered body inside the home he shared with Devon Michaels. his own mother, Jonathan's 80-year-old mother, was the one who called police after discovering his lifeless body. So now you have a gruesome scene, a public trash bin, and a woman who lived with him, who had his kids, who was also his daughter-in-law, and who said she had no idea what happened. But the police weren't buying it. Detectives started by interviewing Devon. According to detectives on the case, Devon was not shocked. She was composed. Some even said she seemed more annoyed than disturbed when asked about the father of her children. Now, here's a question for you. How would you react if someone you were close to was just found in a situation like this? Would you be shaken? Would you be emotional? Would you try to help solve it? Devon instead lawyered up fast, something well within her rights, but still something that raised eyebrows. She told them she didn't know where Jonathan had gone, but inconsistencies piled up quickly. Her phone record showed strange activity around the time of Jonathan's death. Surveillance footage showed her driving around the neighborhood near the time the bin was dumped. Then came the search warrant. Inside the house, police found blood stains, cleaning materials, and evidence that someone had recently tried to sanitize parts of the floor. Even more damning, they found Jonathan's body parts hidden inside the home, but Devon maintained her story. She said she was innocent, that she had nothing to do with his death. Despite all of that, months later, Devon Michaels shocked everyone when she entered a guilty plea. In a quiet courtroom, Devon Michaels stood and told the judge she was pleading guilty. She admitted to ending Jonathan's life, removing his head and discarding it in public. She was facing decades behind bars, but by pleading guilty, she was likely trying to avoid a harsher sentence at trial. Her lawyers didn't say much publicly, but the tone of the case seemed final. That is until her sentencing date. On the day she was supposed to be sentenced, Deving did something no one saw coming. She stood up in court and said, "I am innocent and I can prove it." The courtroom went silent as she cried and begged for the court and the victim's family to believe her. The judge looked confused. She continued to speak, trying to explain herself. >> Miss Michaels, what, if anything, would you like to say before I pronounce against you? There's so much you want to say. Um, Jonathan, Jonathan is very special for me and I know no matter what I say at this moment, I know right now no one in the family is going to believe me. I know right now no one in the family feels that I am innocent at any point. And I I understand that. But I can actually prove my innocence. I actually can. And I'm not going to stop fighting to prove my innocence. I have more than enough. And Jonathan deserves to have the actual person who's guilty behind bars. I was helping Jonathan. I have that. I can show that I was trying to help him. And this I know is hurting the family and I can see it in your faces and I know your hearts are angry and they should be and I'm angry for you and this is not fair to you. This has been dragging out for almost two years. It's not fair to you and it's not fair to his children. any of them. And it's not right. It really isn't. It's not. I've seen so much that it's just terrible. The the way that they manipulated and altered and deleted things is wrong. They should not be able to do it. And they have. And for you to be able to look me in the eye knowing that the things are altered and >> you plead guilty now. >> Miss Michael, you are not to address the state. You are to address me. You are addressing Mr. Gani. You are going to address me. What do you want me to What do you want to say to me? >> My apologies. I wasn't trying to address the state directly. It's just I was so I just told one thing after another and I truly believed that we were going to do the right thing and it just didn't happen. I am so sorry for all of this. I'm so sorry, but I didn't do this and I and I didn't know this would end up like this. I really didn't. And I'm will forever apologize to the family. But I don't know how to fix any of this anymore. I don't I keep listening to what everyone tells me is the best thing to do. Just do this and it'll work out this way and follow this advice and we'll do this. And I keep listening to the people because they keep saying this is the best advice. It doesn't turn out the way they tell me it will. and and it just gets worse and worse and I don't know what to do anymore. >> Later, after Devon finished speaking, the judge, perhaps after reviewing her statement or receiving a formal motion, agreed to let Devon withdraw her guilty plea. That meant everything was reset. No sentencing, no prison time yet. Now she would be going to trial. People were stunned. >> If you, >> Judge, I'm not comfortable with this record. I'm willing to let her out of her plea if the court is in. >> I just I don't know how to fix this. >> All right. >> It's just this wouldn't be appropriate. >> I I completely understand. >> Let's go to trial. All right. Uh Miss Michael J. Mr. Godani says that he's willing to let you out of your plea and he's willing to try this case and you understand that he's willing to try this case on an open murder so a jury can convict you of a first-degree murder. You understand that or do you want to talk to Mr. Patrick about it? I don't want to talk to Mr. Magic King. He didn't listen to anything. >> Miss Miss Michaels, I need you to understand what I'm saying to you and answer my question. Don't you want to withdraw your plea and go to trial? >> Yes, please. >> All right. This plea is going to be withdrawn. Miss Patrick, I need you to have some discussions with your client about >> I move to withdraw this time. This case needs to go back. >> Hold on just one second. Miss Michael, you need to conduct yourself like this is the courtroom. If you cannot do that, then they're going to remove you because I still have business to conduct. >> Do you understand, >> Mr. Patrick? Judge, um, respectfully, I move to withdraw and have this case sent back to office of appointed counsel. I am not in a position to accept appointment on this case should it go to trial at this time. How does someone confess to something like that and then take it back? Some thought it was a stunt, a lastditch effort to escape punishment. Others wondered if she had been pressured into pleading guilty in the first place. But everyone was asking, "Why would the judge allow it?" The answer isn't simple. In rare cases, if a defendant convincingly argues that their plea was made under duress or without full understanding of their rights, a judge can allow them to withdraw it. But what was Devon's proof? What was her plan? No one knew. Now, let's go back to that disturbing family dynamic. Devon was married to Jonathan's adult son. Yet, she had children with Jonathan himself. She was, legally speaking, his daughter-in-law. This wasn't just messy. It was chaotic. Some theorize this could have been about jealousy, control, or power. Was she trying to control the family? Did the relationship become abusive or even violent? We may never get full answers, but the court will likely explore these angles in depth when the trial begins. So, what exactly is her defense? Some believe she'll claim someone else committed the crime and she panicked. Others believe she'll argue mental duress, perhaps the result of trauma from a toxic relationship. One thing is certain, if she truly has proof she didn't do it, her lawyers will need to bring it all out in court. But the prosecution isn't backing down. They believe the evidence against her is overwhelming. And if she's convicted at trial, the sentence could be even worse than what she originally faced. She said she could prove her innocence. The court gave her the chance. Now the world is watching. Was this a desperate twist or the start of a bigger truth? A daughter-in-law, a mother, a suspect, a family secret that ended in tragedy? The Devon Michaels case is far from over. If you found this story shocking, hit that like button, subscribe, and comment below. Do you think she's telling the truth, or is she guilty? Stay tuned. We'll be following the trial closely and bringing you every update, twist, and revelation. Thanks for watching.