Troy— The 21-year-old son of a missing Troy man is in police custody and expected to be charged today with open murder in his father's disappearance.
The news comes as police resume a search today in northern Genesee County, where they believe they may find the body of Patrick Mikes Sr., 55. The accountant has been missing for nearly three weeks.
His son, Patrick Mikes Jr., initially described as a person of interest in the disappearance, was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Rochester Hills based on evidence, including DNA testing, police said. Police said Wednesday the evidence indicates Mikes Sr. died of blunt force injuries.
During a news conference Wednesday night at the Troy Police Department, police said a warrant request was based on an investigation that included recovery of "an incredible amount of evidence from the scene, consultation with representatives of the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office and a forensic analysis of a portion of the trace evidence by the forensic science division of the Michigan State Police."
Capt. Robert Redmond said evidence found in Mikes' home on Homewood, including blood-soiled carpeting, had been analyzed to determine what happened in the basement and whether it involved the missing man.
"The DNA blood analysis evidence puts Mr. Mikes Sr., the missing person, with his son Patrick kind of together," he said. He did not say if a weapon was involved, what it was or if it was recovered. There was no word on a motive.
Redmond said the son had injuries when he was taken in for questioning, but did not say what they were or how severe.
Investigators presented the warrant to 52-4 District Judge William Bolle on Wednesday, who approved the arrest warrant.
Mikes Jr., a senior at University of Notre Dame with a double major in psychology and pre-med, was taken into custody while dining in Rochester Hills, police said.
He is expected to be arraigned at 2:30 p.m. today at 52-4 District Court in Troy.
Meanwhile, Redmond said an extensive search for Mikes Sr. is planned today near Montrose Township, about 20 miles northwest of Flint, based on tips and leads in his disappearance.
Some 35 officers, 12 canine teams and several citizens from Troy that help the police will be there from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., searching the area for a body.
"Based on the evidence we have, based on the data we have, it's the most likely area and we have to start somewhere," Redmond said, adding nothing had been found there yet.
Police and cadaver dogs visited the Montrose area — including stretches along the Flint River, a landfill and farmland — for several hours last week.
Police knocked on doors in Montrose last week and circulated fliers with photos of Mikes' gray four-door Infiniti.
Mikes was reported missing nearly three weeks ago by his two sons.
His son was charged last week with crimes involving unauthorized use of his teenage brother's credit card.
He was jailed on $50,000 cash bond but was released when his maternal grandparents posted bond, police said. He was ordered not to return to the home, leave the state or contact his brother, Andrew, 16.
Redmond said investigators have called Mikes Jr. a person of interest in both the disappearance and a "violent encounter" in the basement of the home.
Mikes Jr. initially reported seeing his father leave their house on a bicycle ride at 5:30 p.m. July 27.
And while Mikes' black and red Cannondale racing bike is missing, riding equipment the avid cyclist always wore was found in the house, police said. Mikes Sr. didn't report to his accountant's job July 27 as scheduled.
Adding interest in Mikes Jr. is a video police obtained from a store where he bought cleaning supplies the night of July 27.
Andrew Mikes told investigators while he initially thought his father might have gone bike riding, he recalled seeing him July 26, not July 27, as his older brother reported.
The teenager is living with relatives at an undisclosed location, and Redmond stressed he is not a suspect in the case and has been cooperating.
From The Detroit News:
Son faces murder charges in case of missing Troy man | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com
