Man faces charges in killing of Evanston woman whose body was found in '06
JEFF GEARINO Southwest Wyoming bureau | Posted: Thursday, April 3, 2008 12:00 am
EVANSTON - On a calm Sunday in June 2006, an elderly hiker strolling through Whitney Canyon north of Evanston came upon an object completely wrapped in black plastic and duct tape lying in the sagebrush.
Closer examination revealed it was the body of a woman. A bedsheet was wrapped around her head . A large manila envelope with several identification documents lay between her shoulders. A vinyl bank deposit bag lay at the small of her back.
Days later, Uinta County Sheriff's Department investigators identified the body as that of Shannon Bohannon, a 41-year-old Evanston resident who no one had seen for a few months.
Now, after a nearly two-year investigation, authorities have issued a first-degree arrest warrant for Lee Allen Michaels, a 50-year-old drifter who was last seen in Denver. Authorities, including the FBI, have launched a nationwide search for the suspect.
"All of our evidence and investigations lead to Lee Michaels as the person who killed Shannon Bohannon," said Uinta County Sheriff Lou Napoli.
"It's still a long haul, and the process continues to get him to trial and convicted… but we felt comfortable enough with the evidence to get the arrest warrant," Napoli said.
Authorities said Bohannon was last seen alive in April 2006 and had been living with Michaels, a self-employed window washer who was suspected of having a history of domestic violence. Michaels was last seen in Evanston in September 2006 before stealing a car and fleeing to Colorado, officials said.
The arrest warrant outlines the county's circumstantial case against Michaels and the evidence collected by detectives during their 20-month investigation.
The affidavit by lead investigator Deputy Michael Johnson said Michaels had been living with Bohannon in an Evanston apartment complex beginning in 2005.
Johnson said Bohannon was determined to be HIV positive and had been receiving treatment for the disease since 2002.
In December 2005, the Evanston Police Department responded to a domestic violence call and arrested Michaels for public intoxication. He told officers at the time that Bohannon had infected him with AIDS.
Johnson said the investigation revealed that Bohannon reported to public health officials that she was having difficulties with Michaels and said he would not leave. Bohannon said Michaels drove her to doctor appointments because her vision was deteriorating.
The affidavit said Bohannon was last seen by health officials on April 6, 2006. After that, she missed doctor appointments, meals delivered to her home were accepted by Michaels, and medications for Bohannon were picked up by Michaels.
Witnesses also reported that Michaels told neighbors and Bohannon's relatives that the pair were going to take a trip to Montana before Bohannon's disease progressed further.
The affidavit said that during a search of Bohannon's apartment after the body was discovered, detectives found Bohannon's cell phone, purse and prescription eyeglasses.
On June 12, 2006, Johnson said Michaels pawned a 13-point diamond ring at a Salt Lake City pawnshop. The ring was later identified by Bohannon's mother as one that Shannon wore.
The affidavit said from May through June 2006, Bohannon's ATM card was used by Michaels, who made withdrawals of about $1,100 from Bohannon's account.
Johnson said Michaels was arrested by Salt Lake City police on an unrelated warrant on July 6, 2006. At the time of his arrest, Michaels was driving Bohannon's dark green Mercury with a Wyoming handicapped license plate.
Johnson said investigators searched the car and Michaels' hotel room and found evidence linking Michaels to the Whitney Canyon crime scene, including a blue vinyl bank bag identical to the one found under Bohannon's body.
The affidavit also said the examination of the duct tape and black plastic by the Wyoming State Crime Lab revealed numerous latent fingerprints from the inside of the duct tape, which were matched to Michaels.
In September 2006, Michaels appeared for a bond hearing in the Circuit Court of Uinta County on an unrelated warrant. The court was informed that Michaels was a suspect in a murder case, but he was released on bail, according to the affidavit.
Johnson said Michaels was last seen in Evanston on Sept. 14, 2006, driving a vehicle that was later reported as stolen. The affidavit said that two days later, the car was found in Denver after police stopped a vehicle occupied by four individuals. The individuals told officers that they had purchased the car from a "white boy" for 5 grams of crack cocaine.
Johnson said that on at least three occasions, Michaels was informed by investigators that he was a suspect in Bohannon's homicide.
The affidavit said shortly after the last advisement, after being released on bond, Michaels stole the car, acquired property and money and fled the jurisdiction of Wyoming.
Southwest Wyoming bureau reporter Jeff Gearino can be reached at 307-875-5359 or at gearino@tribcsp.com.