Las Vegas man to stand trial in mother’s death

Kim Smith

Wednesday, June 6, 2001 | 10:06 a.m.

A Las Vegas man suspected in the bludgeoning and stabbing death of his mother will stand trial.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Deborah Lippis decided Monday that there is enough evidence tying Michael Messick, 29, to the April death of his mother, Hisayo Miller, to try him for murder.

According to authorities, Miller's body was found in her bathtub on the evening of April 11 by Metro officers who were asked to check on her welfare when she failed to show up for work.

Her body was found covered in plastic, and an autopsy revealed she had been stabbed in the chest and beaten on her head and face. Also found in the tub were men's pants in Messick's size and a yellow plastic storage bin.

Messick shared a two-bedroom apartment with his mother in the 2100 block of Quarry Ridge Street near Sahara Avenue and Hualapai Way.

Metro crime scene analyst Michael Perkins testified Monday that forensic evidence shows Miller, 51, was struck in the doorway between the dining room and kitchen, and dragged down a hallway into the bathroom.

Although someone had cleaned the carpet with bleach, a chemical used to test for the invisible presence of blood showed barefoot prints throughout the apartment, blood spatters in the kitchen and drag marks, Perkins said.

Authorities believe Miller was killed sometime between 10 p.m April 10 and 10 a.m. April 11.

Detectives think Miller and another man were in the apartment that morning and continued to hide inside when two North Las Vegas detectives -- who were investigating the disappearance of Messick's girlfriend -- knocked on the door.

Neighbors reported seeing Messick and the other man leave after the officers left.

Messick was arrested shortly after police found the body because of his behavior upon learning of the death of his mother and the fact that there were no signs of forced entry into the apartment, Metro Detective David Mesinar said.

Mesinar testified Monday that Messick showed up at the apartment in the middle of their investigation and was unemotional and uncooperative upon being told his mother had been killed.

Mesinar said Messick appeared more interested in getting a cigarette and a drink than what had happened to his mother.

Police were later contacted by witnesses who saw Messick at another home with a plastic tub containing a hammer, knives and bloody clothing around the time of the slaying.

Those items have not yet been located.

North Las Vegas detectives also haven't located Messick's on-again, off-again girlfriend, Anne Suazo, 50.

Detective R.B. Tanner said Suazo was last seen getting into her vehicle with Messick on April 3, one week before his mother died.

Suazo's vehicle was found abandoned near Antelope Way and Charleston Boulevard, Tanner said.

Messick, who is now refusing to speak with police, has said he last saw Suazo when he dropped her off across the street from Arizona Charlie's on Boulder Highway.

Anyone with information about Suazo's disappearance is asked to call Tanner at 633-1680 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.