Missing Troy man's son charged with open murder

Patrick Mikes Jr. in custody, charged with open murder of father, Patrick Mikes Sr.; search for body continues Thursday in Montrose

Patrick Joseph Mikes

TROY, Mich. – The oldest son of a missing man from Troy has been arrested and charged with open murder in connection to the missing person and murder investigation of his father.

Patrick Mikes Jr., 21, had been called a person of interest in his father's disappearance. He was in police custody Wednesday night. He will be arraigned on the murder charge Thursday.

His 55-year-old father, Patrick Mikes Sr., was reported missing by his two sons on July 29. According to police, he was last seen July 27 at his home in Troy.

Troy police said they believe Mikes was killed in the basement of his home where investigators found evidence of a struggle. The Oakland County Medical Examiner said it is highly unlikely anyone would live through whatever happened in that basement.

On Wednesday night, Troy police held a news conference during which they said DNA test results on evidence taken from the basement showed both Mikes Jr. and Mikes Sr.'s blood. Police said it is believed Mikes was killed by blunt force trauma.

"The DNA blood analysis evidence puts Mr. Mikes Sr. with his son Patrick's blood kind of together, indicating a struggled ensued between the two of them," said Troy Police Cpt. Robert Redmond.

Mikes Jr. was arrested at a restaurant Wednesday night in Rochester Hills.

Police don't believe Patrick Mikes left for bike ride

Although it was reported Mikes was last seen July 27 leaving his home for a bike ride, police said his helmet and bike shoes were found at his home. It's unlikely Mikes, an avid bicyclist, would leave for a ride without his shoes or helmet, police said. His bike is still missing.

Search for body continues Thursday in Montrose, Mich.

Last week, police said they were searching for Mikes' body.

Police plan to resume their search for Mikes' body and his bike at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in Montrose, Mich. More than 30 officers and a dozen K9 units will assist in the search.

"I'm not going to release all the data on how or why, but we believe we are in the right area," Redmond said.

Patrick Mikes Jr. charged with fraud

Patrick Mikes Jr.

Mikes Jr. was in court last week to be arraigned on three counts of illegally using a financial transaction device. He was held in jail on a $50,000 bond. His maternal grandparents posted the bond. He was scheduled to appear in court Aug. 13.

Images: Patrick Mikes Jr. in court for fraud charges

Meanwhile, police have been calling Mikes Jr. a person of interest in his father's missing person and murder investigation case.

"Investigators are attempting to reconstruct a timeline of Patrick Mikes Jr.'s whereabouts from Friday, July 27 to Sunday morning, July 29  in order to assist in the recovery of the body," Troy police said in a statement last week.

Patrick Joseph Mikes

-- Patrick Mikes