Judge to Decide Today How Patrick Mikes Jr. Case Will Proceed

The probable cause hearing for Patrick Mikes Jr., who is charged with killing his 55-year-old father in July, is scheduled to continue this morning at 52-4 District Court in Troy, at which time Judge William Bolle will hear any further arguments in the hearing and make a decision regarding how the case will proceed and if Mikes Jr. will stand trial.

Last Monday, Bolle heard from several witnesses, including Oakland County Assistant Medical Examiner Ljubisa J. Dragovic, who testified that the July 27 altercation in the Mikes' family's basement "was a violent (altercation) that resulted in a tremendous amount of blood loss that would be consistent of blunt force trauma to the head."

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Mikes Jr.'s brother, 16-year-old Andrew Mikes, also testified last Monday, as did Troy Police Sgt. Josh Jones and Montrose Township resident Bruce Bunn.

Mikes Jr., 21, is currently being held without bond at the Oakland County Jail after being charged with open murder on Aug. 9. He is accused of killing his father, 55-year-old Patrick Mikes Sr., on July 27.

Bolle denied on Sept. 5 a motion from Patrick Mikes Jr.'s defense attorney requesting that Mikes Jr. be allowed to meet with the defense's psychological experts for analysis.

Mikes Jr. was arraigned on Aug. 9 on a charge of homicide–open murder. Less than 24 hours after his arraignment, and following an intense search, investigators found the body of Mikes Sr. in Montrose Township. The Oakland County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma.

Police have said they believe Mikes Sr. was killed in a violent altercation in the basement of his Troy home on Homewood Drive on July 27. He was last seen alive by his 16-year-old son, Andrew Mikes, on the evening of July 26.

Mikes Sr. did not show up for work on July 27, and investigators believe Mikes Jr., who has been the only named suspect in his father's disappearance, did not see his father leaving for a bike ride that day, as he first reported to police Sunday morning.

Mikes Jr. also was seen on surveillance video purchasing a large quantity of cleaning supplies at a local store on July 27, according to Troy police.

Mikes Jr. was charged on Aug. 1 with fraudulently using his younger brother's American Express card to make purchases at the AMC Theatre and Johnny Rocket's in Auburn Hills on July 26. His maternal grandparents paid his $50,000 bond the next day, police said. Before being arrested and charged with homicide-open murder on Aug. 9, Mikes Jr. had been ordered not to contact his younger brother or leave the state.

Police say there was no known history of violent altercations between Mikes Jr. and his father.