Murderer may die for his crime

Bill Gang

Friday, Feb. 27, 1998 | 10:20 a.m.

A penalty hearing will begin Monday in District Court to determine if Michael Mulder should receive the death sentence for murdering a 77-year-old man in his mobile home in the summer of 1996.

Mulder was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder by a jury in District Judge Joseph Pavlikowski's courtroom that deliberated less than two hours.

John Ahart, a retired carpenter and general contractor, was beaten to death and his body was left inside his locked trailer at the Three Crowns Mobile Home Park on North Lamb Boulevard, where he had lived for 17 years.

His maroon 1990 M30 Infiniti was missing, but nothing else was taken, according to family members.

In addition to murder, Mulder was convicted of robbery of a person over the age of 65 and burglary. Pavlikowski will sentence him on those counts after the jury decides whether Mulder should be executed for the murder or be sent to prison for life with or without the possibility of parole.

Ahart was well known among attorneys, judges and journalists who work at the Clark County Courthouse because he was among a group of retired residents who spent much of their time attending trials.

Speaking shortly after the murder, Ahart's family members were at a loss to explain how such a crime could be perpetrated.

"That's all we think about," one family member said. "Why would someone do this to this man? He lived for his family. He played golf. He attended trials. He walked for exercise in the morning. He didn't bother anybody."