Troy

Honor student charged, held for murder of father

By Terry Oparka
C & G Staff Writer

A 21-year-old college student and University of Detroit Jesuit High School honors graduate with no prior criminal record was charged with the murder of his father and denied bond Aug. 9 in 52-4 District Court.

Patrick Mikes. Jr., formerly enrolled at the University of Notre Dame and at home on summer break, was arraigned in Troy after examination of extensive evidence police found in his home, as well as DNA testing by the Michigan State Police. Police would not state what the specific evidence was. Mikes. Jr pleaded not guilty.

Police are searching for the body of Mikes Jr.’s father, Patrick Joseph Mikes, in the Montrose Township area, near Flint.

Police say it is unlikely the victim survived a violent attack in the basement of the home Mikes Jr. shared with his father, last seen the evening of July 26.

“We are confident that Mr. Mikes was killed by his son,” Troy police Capt. Bob Redmond said. He said the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office said the cause of death was blunt force trauma, based on the evidence.

Mikes Jr. lived in the basement of the home on Homewood, in the Long Lake and Adams area, and initially told police that his father left the home on his bicycle at 5:30 p.m. July 27. Mikes’ younger son, 16, initially told police the same thing, but upon later police questioning recanted and said he’d last seen his father the evening of July 26.

The younger son “assumed he’d left on a bike ride. He didn’t see him leave,” Redmond said.

The elder Mikes did not show up for work July 27, Redmond said, and his sons did not call police until the morning of July 29.

Mikes Jr. was arraigned on three counts of credit card fraud Aug. 1 in 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills. He pleaded not guilty. Redmond said that Mike Jr. had used his younger brother’s credit card without his permission at Great Lakes Crossing July 26. The younger son is not a suspect, Redmond said.

Mikes Jr.’s bond for the financial charges was set at $50,000/cash surety. His grandparents posted bond on those charges, and police arrested him on the murder charge the evening of Aug. 8. He remains in the Oakland County Jail awaiting his preliminary exam on the murder charge, set for Aug. 27. His attorney, Christopher Andreoff, had no comment following the arraignment.

Judge William Bolle denied bond on the murder charge, although Andreoff said that Mikes Jr. was not a flight risk and had been out on bond on the credit card fraud charges for six days.

Andreoff said Mikes Jr.’s grandparents would post the bond for the murder charge.

Oakland County Prosecutor Ken Frazee said Bolle was correct to deny bond because of the very violent crime scene, and evidence that Mikes Jr. disposed of the body and tried to clean up the scene.

“He could be seen as a flight risk,” he said.

Police from multiple jurisdictions and the FBI have assisted with the investigation, which continues.

Troy police are trying to establish a timeline for Mikes Jr. from the morning of July 27 through the morning of July 29. Redmond said Mikes Jr. is seen on video purchasing cleaning supplies the evening of July 27. Troy police ask anyone who may have seen a beige 2002 Infinity in the area along I-75 from Troy north to Montrose Township between 10:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. July 29 to call them at (248) 524-3477.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Terry Oparka at toparka@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1054.